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Microsoft Windows XP Registry Guide
Microsoft Windows XP Registry Guide Microsoft Windows XP Registry Guide.......................................................................................... Introduction........ This Book Is Different— Really................................................................................................. Power Users First; Then IT Professionals............................................................................... Some Terminology................................................................................................................... Gotta Love Windows XP.......................................................................................................... Final Note. Part I: Registry Overview.................................................................................................................. Chapter Li Part Overview..................................................................................................................... Chapter 1: Learning the Basics...................................................................................................... Overview Heart and Soul of Windows XP.............................................................................................. For Power Users.............................................................................................................. For IT Professionals......................................................................................................... Registry Warnings and Myths................................................................................................ Must-Know Concepts............................................................................................................ Security Identifiers............................................................................................................ Globally Unique Identifiers............................................................................................... Hexadecimal Notation...................................................................................................... Bits and Bit Masks............................................................................................................ Little-Endian and Big-Endian.......................................................................................... ANSI and Unicode Encoding............................................................................................ Null and Empty Strings..................................................................................................... Structure of the Registry........................................................................................................ Keys. Valu Type Organization of the Registry.................................................................................................. HKEY_USERS................................................................................................................. HKEY_CURRENT_USER................................................................................................ HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE............................................................................................... HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT................................................................................................ HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG............................................................................................ Registry Management Tools.................................................................................................. Registry Hive Files................................................................................................................. Hives in HKLM................................................................................................................. Hives in HKU.................................................................................................................... Chapter 2: Using the Registry Editor............................................................................................. Overview Running Regedit.................................................................................................................... Exploring Regedit................................................................................................................... Key Pane......................................................................................................................... Value Pane...................................................................................................................... Searching for Data................................................................................................................. Searching Incrementally................................................................................................... i Chapter 2: Using the Registry Editor Searching in Binary Values.............................................................................................. Bookmarking Favorite Keys............................................................................................. Using Better Techniques.................................................................................................. Editing the Registry................................................................................................................ Changing Values.............................................................................................................. Adding Keys or Values..................................................................................................... Deleting Keys or Values................................................................................................... Renaming Keys or Values................................................................................................ Printing the Registry............................................................................................................... Exporting Settings to Files..................................................................................................... Registration Files............................................................................................................. Win9x/NT4 Registration Files........................................................................................... Hive Files......................................................................................................................... Text Files.......................................................................................................................... Working with Hive Files.......................................................................................................... Getting Beyond Basics........................................................................................................... Chapter 3: Backing up the Registry............................................................................................... Overview Editing the Registry Safely..................................................................................................... Copying Single Values..................................................................................................... Backing Up to REG Files................................................................................................. Backing Up to Hive Files.................................................................................................. Fixing Corrupt Settings.......................................................................................................... Allowing Windows XP to Fix Errors.................................................................................. Repairing an Application's Settings.................................................................................. Removing Programs from the Registry............................................................................ Using Another Computer's Settings................................................................................. Using System Restore........................................................................................................... Taking Configuration Snapshots...................................................................................... Peeking Under the Covers............................................................................................... Managing System Restore............................................................................................... Hacking System Restore.................................................................................................. Scripting System Restore................................................................................................. Backing Up the Registry Regularly........................................................................................ Planning a Backup Strategy............................................................................................. Backing Up System State Data........................................................................................ Restoring System State Data........................................................................................... Backing Up User Settings...................................................................................................... Recovering from Disasters..................................................................................................... Advanced Options Menu.................................................................................................. Recovery Console............................................................................................................ Automated System Recovery........................................................................................... Chapter 4: Hacking the Registry.................................................................................................... Overview Redirecting Special Folders................................................................................................... Customizing Shell Folders..................................................................................................... Renaming Desktop Icons................................................................................................. ii Chapter 4: Hacking the Registry Using Custom Icon Images.............................................................................................. Adding Desktop Icons...................................................................................................... Hiding Desktop Icons....................................................................................................... Customizing File Associations............................................................................................... Running Programs from My Computer............................................................................ Open Command Prompts at Folders............................................................................... Rooting Windows Explorer at a Folder............................................................................. Adding InfoTips to Program Classes................................................................................ Adding File Templates........................................................................................................... Preventing Messenger from Running.................................................................................... Personalizing the Start Menu................................................................................................. Configuring the Menu's Contents..................................................................................... Trimming the Frequently Used Programs List.................................................................. Restoring the Sort Order.................................................................................................. Customizing Internet Explorer................................................................................................ Extending the Shortcut Menus......................................................................................... Changing the Toolbar Background.................................................................................. Customizing Search URLs............................................................................................... Clearing History Lists........................................................................................................... Running Programs at Startup.............................................................................................. Controlling Registry Editor................................................................................................... Default Action for REG Files.......................................................................................... Storing Window Position and Size................................................................................. Logging On Automatically.................................................................................................... Changing User Information.................................................................................................. Looking for More Hacks....................................................................................................... Chapter 5: Mapping Tweak UI....................................................................................................... Overvi General Fo Mouse.. Hov Wh X-Mouse........................................................................................................................ Explorer Sh Col Thumbnails..................................................................................................................... Command Keys.............................................................................................................. Common Dialog Boxes........................................................................................................ Taskbar XP Start Menu................................................................................................................ Desktop First Icon........................................................................................................................ My Computer....................................................................................................................... Dri Special Folders.............................................................................................................. iii Chapter 5: Mapping Tweak UI A Control Panel....................................................................................................................... Templ Internet Explorer.................................................................................................................. Se View Source................................................................................................................... Command Prompt................................................................................................................ Logon... Part II: Registry in Management................................................................................................... Chapter List.......................................................................................................................... Part Overview................................................................................................................. Chapter 6: Using Registry-Based Policy.................................................................................... Overvi Editing Local Policies........................................................................................................... Group Policy Extensions................................................................................................ Registry-Based Policy................................................................................................... Group Policy Storage..................................................................................................... Extending Registry-Based Policy........................................................................................ Comments...................................................................................................................... Str CATEGORY................................................................................................................... KEYNAME...................................................................................................................... EXPLAIN........................................................................................................................ VALUENAME................................................................................................................. VALUEON and VALUEOFF........................................................................................... ACTIONLIST.................................................................................................................. PA CHECKBOX................................................................................................................... COMBOBOX.................................................................................................................. DROPDOWNLIST.......................................................................................................... EDITTEXT...................................................................................................................... LISTBOX........................................................................................................................ NUMERIC...................................................................................................................... TE Deploying Registry-Based Policy........................................................................................ Windows 2000 Server-Based Networks........................................................................ Windows NT-Based and Other Networks..................................................................... Customizing Windows XP.................................................................................................... Using the Group Policy Tools.............................................................................................. Gp Gpupdate....................................................................................................................... Help and Support Center............................................................................................... Resultant Set of Policy................................................................................................... Finding More Resources...................................................................................................... iv Chapter 7: Managing Registry Security....................................................................................... Overvi Setting Keys' Permissions.................................................................................................... Adding Users to ACLs.................................................................................................... Removing Users from ACLs........................................................................................... Assigning Special Permissions...................................................................................... Mapping Default Permissions.............................................................................................. Taking Ownership of Keys................................................................................................... Auditing Registry Access..................................................................................................... Preventing Local Registry Access....................................................................................... Restricting Remote Registry Access.................................................................................... Deploying Security Templates............................................................................................. Creating a Security Management Console.................................................................... Choosing a Predefined Security Template..................................................................... Building a Custom Security Template............................................................................ Analyzing a Computer's Configuration........................................................................... Modifying a Computer's Configuration........................................................................... Deploying Security Templates on the Network.............................................................. Chapter 8: Finding Registry Settings.......................................................................................... Comparing REG Files.......................................................................................................... Using WinDiff................................................................................................................. Using Word 2002........................................................................................................... Comparing with Reg.exe...................................................................................................... Auditing the Registry............................................................................................................ Setting Audit Policy........................................................................................................ Auditing Registry Keys................................................................................................... Analyzing the Results..................................................................................................... Monitoring the Registry........................................................................................................ Using Winternals Regmon............................................................................................. Filtering for Better Results.............................................................................................. Part III: Registry in Deployment................................................................................................... Chapter List.......................................................................................................................... Part Overview................................................................................................................. Chapter 9: Scripting Registry Changes....................................................................................... Overvi Choosing a Technique......................................................................................................... Installing INF Files............................................................................................................... Starting with a Template................................................................................................ Linking Sections Together.............................................................................................. Adding Keys and Values................................................................................................ Deleting Keys and Values.............................................................................................. Setting and Clearing Bits................................................................................................ Using Strings in INF Files............................................................................................... Setting Values with REG Files............................................................................................. Exporting Settings to REG Files..................................................................................... Creating REG Files Manually......................................................................................... Encoding Special Characters......................................................................................... v Chapter 9: Scripting Registry Changes Deleting Keys Using a REG File.................................................................................... Editing from the Command Prompt...................................................................................... Adding Keys and Values................................................................................................ Querying Values............................................................................................................. Deleting Keys and Values.............................................................................................. Comparing Keys and Values.......................................................................................... Copying Keys and Values.............................................................................................. Exporting Keys to REG Files.......................................................................................... Importing REG Files....................................................................................................... Saving Keys to Hive Files.............................................................................................. Restoring Hive Files to Keys.......................................................................................... Loading Hive Files.......................................................................................................... Unloading Hive Files...................................................................................................... Scripting Using Windows Script Host................................................................................... Creating Script Files....................................................................................................... Running Script Files....................................................................................................... Formatting Key and Value Names................................................................................. Adding and Updating Values.......................................................................................... Removing Keys and Values........................................................................................... Querying Registry Values.............................................................................................. Creating Windows Installer Packages................................................................................. Chapter 10: Deploying User Profiles........................................................................................... Overvi Exploring User Profiles........................................................................................................ Profile Hives................................................................................................................... Profile Folders................................................................................................................ Special Profiles.............................................................................................................. Getting User Profiles............................................................................................................ Local Profiles.................................................................................................................. Roaming Profiles............................................................................................................ Using Roaming User Profiles............................................................................................... Managing Roaming User Profiles.................................................................................. Understanding Fast Network Logon............................................................................... Understanding the New Merge...................................................................................... Deploying Default User Profiles........................................................................................... Customizing User Settings............................................................................................. Cleaning User Profiles................................................................................................... Creating Default User Folders........................................................................................ Deploying Default User Folders..................................................................................... Coexisting with Earlier Versions of Windows....................................................................... Migrating User Settings to Windows XP.............................................................................. Files And Settings Transfer Wizard................................................................................ User State Migration Tool.............................................................................................. Chapter 11: Mapping Windows Installer...................................................................................... Overvi Repairing Registry Settings................................................................................................. Managing Windows Installer with Policies........................................................................... vi Chapter 11: Mapping Windows Installer Installing with Elevated Privileges.................................................................................. Caching Transforms in Secure Location........................................................................ Locking Down Windows Installer................................................................................... Removing Windows Installer Data....................................................................................... Msizap.exe..................................................................................................................... Msicuu.exe..................................................................................................................... Inventorying Applications..................................................................................................... Chapter 12: Deploying with Answer Files................................................................................... Overvi Creating Distribution Folders............................................................................................... Customizing Answer Files.................................................................................................... Setup Manager............................................................................................................... Notepad and Other Text Editors.................................................................................... Adding Settings to Unattend.txt........................................................................................... [GuiRunOnce]................................................................................................................ Cmdlines.txt................................................................................................................... Logging On Automatically After Installation......................................................................... Chapter 13: Cloning Disks with Sysprep..................................................................................... Overvi Cloning Windows XP........................................................................................................... Windows XP Tools......................................................................................................... Sysprep Limitations........................................................................................................ Building a Disk Image.......................................................................................................... Customizing Mini-Setup................................................................................................ Preparing for Duplication................................................................................................ Cloning the Disk Image.................................................................................................. Reducing Image Count........................................................................................................ Filling SysprepMassStorage Manually........................................................................... Filling SysprepMassStorage Automatically.................................................................... Cleaning Up After Sysprep............................................................................................. Mapping Sysprep Settings................................................................................................... Keeping Perspective............................................................................................................ Chapter 14: Microsoft Office XP User Settings........................................................................... Overvi Profile Wizard....................................................................................................................... Customizing the Wizard................................................................................................. Capturing Settings.......................................................................................................... Deploying Settings......................................................................................................... Custom Installation Wizard.................................................................................................. Add/Remove Registry Entries........................................................................................ Customize Default Application Settings......................................................................... Change Office User Settings.......................................................................................... Add Installations and Run Programs.............................................................................. Custom Maintenance Wizard............................................................................................... Group and System Policy.................................................................................................... vii Chapter 15: Working Around IT Problems.................................................................................. Controlling Just-in-Time Setup........................................................................................... Outlook Express............................................................................................................. Windows Media Player................................................................................................... Desktop Themes............................................................................................................ Other Shortcuts.............................................................................................................. Removing Components....................................................................................................... Answer File [Components] Section................................................................................ Extending Windows Components Wizard...................................................................... Removing Components After Installation....................................................................... Hiding Non-Removable Components............................................................................ Removing Policy Tattoos..................................................................................................... Elevating Processes' Privileges........................................................................................... Group Policy................................................................................................................... Secondary Logon........................................................................................................... Scheduled Tasks............................................................................................................ AutoLogon...................................................................................................................... Severing File Associations................................................................................................... Deploying Office XP Trusted Sources................................................................................. Enabling Remote Desktop Remotely................................................................................... Customizing the Windows XP Logon................................................................................... Part IV: A Appendix List....................................................................................................................... Part Overview................................................................................................................. Appendix A: File Associations..................................................................................................... Overvi Merge Algorithm................................................................................................................... File Extension Keys............................................................................................................. OpenWithList.................................................................................................................. PerceivedType............................................................................................................... Program Class Keys............................................................................................................ E Shel Specialized Keys.................................................................................................................. SystemFileAssociations................................................................................................. Unknown........................................................................................................................ COM Class Keys.................................................................................................................. Appendix B: Per-User Settings................................................................................................... Overvi AppEv Console Control Panel....................................................................................................................... D Desktop\Window Metrics................................................................................................ viii Appendix B: Per-User Settings M Envi Keyboard Layout.................................................................................................................. Network Printers. Softwar C Microsoft\Command Processor...................................................................................... Microsoft\Internet Connection Wizard............................................................................ Microsoft\Internet Explorer............................................................................................. Microsoft\Internet Explorer\MenuExt.............................................................................. Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL......................................................................... Microsoft\MessengerService.......................................................................................... Microsoft\Office.............................................................................................................. Microsoft\Search Assistant............................................................................................. Microsoft\VBA\Trusted................................................................................................... Pol Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion..................................................................... Explorer\Advanced......................................................................................................... Explorer\AutoComplete.................................................................................................. Explorer\ComDlg32........................................................................................................ Explorer\HideDesktopIcons............................................................................................ Explorer\HideMyComputerIcons.................................................................................... Explorer\MenuOrder....................................................................................................... Explorer\RecentDocs..................................................................................................... Explorer\RunMRU.......................................................................................................... Explorer\User Shell Folders........................................................................................... Appendix C: Per-Computer Settings.......................................................................................... Overvi DESCRIPTION............................................................................................................... DEVICEMAP.................................................................................................................. SAM..... SEC S C Cli Microsoft\Active Setup................................................................................................... Microsoft\Command Processor...................................................................................... Microsoft\Driver Signing................................................................................................. Microsoft\InternetExplorer.............................................................................................. Microsoft\Sysprep.......................................................................................................... Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion.......................................................................... Pol SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion............................................................... App Paths...................................................................................................................... Ap ix Appendix C: Per-Computer Settings Ex Explorer\AutoplayHandlers............................................................................................ Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace....................................................................................... Explorer\FindExtensions................................................................................................ Explorer\HideDesktopIcons............................................................................................ Explorer\HideMyComputerIcons.................................................................................... Explorer\MyComputer.................................................................................................... Explorer\NetworkNeighborhood\NameSpace................................................................ Explorer\RemoteComputer\NameSpace........................................................................ Explorer\StartMenu........................................................................................................ Explorer\User Shell Folders........................................................................................... Explorer\VisualEffects.................................................................................................... Pol Run RunOnce........................................................................................................................ Un SYST CurrentControlSet\Control.............................................................................................. CurrentControlSet\Enum................................................................................................ CurrentControlSet\Hardware Profiles............................................................................. CurrentControlSet\Services........................................................................................... Appendix D: Group Policies......................................................................................................... Conf. Inetcorp.adm........................................................................................................................ Inetres.adm.......................................................................................................................... Inetset.adm.......................................................................................................................... System.adm......................................................................................................................... Wmplayer.adm..................................................................................................................... List of Figures List of Tables.. List of Listing List of Sideba x Jerry Honeycutt Microsoft Press A Division of Microsoft Corporation One Microsoft Way Redmond , Washington 980526399 Copyright © 2003 by Jerry Honeycutt All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this book may be reproduced or transmitted form or by any means without the written permission of the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Honeycutt, Jerry. Microsoft Windows XP Registry Guide / Jerry Honeycutt. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 0735617880 1. Microsoft Windows (Computer file) 2. Operating systems (Computers) I. Title. QA76.76.O63 H6636 2002 005.4'4769--dc21 2002075317 Printed and bound in the United States of America. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 QWT 7 6 5 4 3 2 Distributed in Canada by H.B. Fenn and Company Ltd. A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Microsoft Press books are available through booksellers and distributors worldwide. information about international editions, contact your local Microsoft Corporation office Microsoft Press International directly at fax (425) 936-7329. Visit our Web www.microsoft.com/mspress. Send comments to <[email protected].> Active Desktop, Active Directory, ActiveX, DirectSound, DirectX, FrontPage, Hotmail, IntelliMirror, JScript, Links, Microsoft, Microsoft Press, MSDN, MS-DOS, MSN, NetMeeting, NetShow, PhotoDraw, PowerPoint, VGA, Visual Basic, Visual InterDev, Windows, Windows Media, NT, and Win32 are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation United States and/or other countries. Other product and company names mentioned herein the trademarks of their respective owners. 1 organization, product, domain name, e-mail address, logo, person, place, or event is should be inferred. For Microsoft Press: Acquisitions Editor: Alex Blanton Project Editors: Jenny Moss Benson and Kristen Weatherby For Online Training Solutions, Inc.: Project Managers: Joyce Cox, Nancy Depper, and Joan Preppernau Technical Editor: Keith Bednarczuk Copy Editor: Nancy Depper Compositors: RJ Cadranell and Liz Clark Proofreader: Lisa Van Every Body Part No. X08-81847 For Carlo and Kay Acknowledgments Never let authors tell you that they wrote their books all by themselves. Creating a book author's gibberish takes a lot of work from a lot of people with a lot of different skills. Some whip and others are artisans. They all deserve credit. First I'd like to thank my acquisitions editor, Alex Blanton. Alex holds up well under pushing me to get things done without breaking my will to do things right. The result is the of quality and timeliness. The folks who I had the most contact with were Jenny Benson Weatherby, though. They were this book's project editors with the responsibility of managing overall process. Kristen worked on the early stages of this book, getting the whole project forward, and Jenny had the unenviable job of getting it finished. I bow to both of them "I'm not worthy." A number of other people have my admiration as well. Nancy Depper was this book's correcting my brutal use of the language. Lisa Van Every proofed the book's contents, Bednarczuk was the book's technical editor. I think this book's layout looks great, and goes to RJ Cadranell and Liz Clark. Finally, Joyce Cox and Joan Preppernau provide management skills. Thank you one and all. Jerry Honeycutt empowers people to work and play better by helping them use technologies, including the Microsoft Windows product family, IP-based networking, Internet. He reaches out through his frequent writings and talks but prefers to get his hands helping companies deploy and manage their desktop computers. 2 and Introducing Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional (Microsoft Press, 1999). He has other books about the registry. Most of his books are sold internationally and are available variety of languages. Jerry is also a columnist for Microsoft Expert Zone, a Web site for Windows XP enthusiasts, makes frequent contributions to a variety of content areas on Microsoft's Web site: TechNet, and so on. He also contributes to various trade publications including Smart Business CNET. Jerry is also a frequent speaker at assorted public events, including COMDEX, Days, Microsoft Exchange Conference, and Microsoft Global Briefing, and occasionally on Microsoft's TechNet Web site. In addition to writing and speaking, Jerry has a long history of using his skills for more purposes: providing technical leadership to business. He specializes in desktop deployment management, particularly using the Windows product family. Companies like Capital Travelers, IBM, Nielsen North America, IRM, Howard Systems International, and NCR leveraged his expertise. He continues writing, training, and consulting to serve the community. Jerry graduated from University of Texas at Dallas in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science in Science. He also studied at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX. In his spare time, golf, dabbles with photography, and travels. He is an avid collector of rare books and casino Jerry lives in the Dallas suburb of Frisco, TX. See Jerry's Web site at www.honeycutt.com or send mail to <[email protected]>. 3 The registry is the heart and soul of Microsoft Windows XP. In my other registry books, same thing about the registry in every version of Windows since Microsoft Windows 95, time you're finished reading this book, I hope you'll agree. The registry contains the configuration data that makes the operating system work. The registry enables developers to configuration data in ways that are impossible with other mechanisms, such as INI files. just about every feature in Windows XP that you think is cool. More importantly, it enables customize Windows XP in ways you can't through the user interface. Windows XP and every application that runs on Microsoft's latest desktop operating absolutely nothing without consulting the registry first. When you double-click a file, Windows consults the registry to figure out what to do with it. When you install a device, Windows resources to the device based on information in the registry and then stores the configuration in the registry. When you run an application such as Microsoft Word application looks up your preferences in the registry. If you were to monitor the registry normal session, you'd see the registry serves up thousands of values within minutes. In this book, you will learn how to customize the registry, but you must also learn how of the registry. You must learn how to back up the registry so you can restore it if things You must also learn the best practices for editing the registry safely. The registry isn't just a hacker's dream, though. The registry is an invaluable tool professional deploying, managing, and supporting Windows XP. Did you know that most Group Policy and system policies are really settings in the registry? Does that give you Did you know that scripting registry edits is one of the best ways to deploy settings to book teaches you about policies, scripting, and much more. For example, you will learn deploy registry settings during Windows XP and Microsoft Office XP installations. Some problems can be solved only by using the registry, so I describe the most common IT workarounds, too. For example, I'll show you how to prevent Windows XP from creating the Microsoft Express icon on the desktop when a user logs on to the computer for the first time. This Book Is Different—Really This book contains information that you're not going to find in any other book about the Windows registry. You'll learn how to track down where Windows XP and other programs store settings registry. You'll learn how to write scripts to edit the registry. You'll discover registry hacks both unique and useful. And you'll read about my personal experiences with the registry consider my best practices. For example, in Chapter 2, "Using the Registry Editor," you'll quickly document my changes to the registry—right in the registry itself. That's all stuff for power users, but more than half of this book is for IT professionals. you're a desktop engineer, deployment engineer, or a support technician, you'll learn that will make your job easier. A lot of the book focuses on how the registry affects Windows Office XP deployment. You'll learn about creating and deploying effective default user profiles. learn how to deploy settings with Windows XP and Office XP. You'll even learn how to own Windows Installer package files expressly for managing settings in the registry. The that just about every tool I suggest in this book is either free or very inexpensive. 4 Even the most focused IT professional is a power user at heart, so this book presents for power users first. Thus, here are the first five chapters in Part I, "Registry Overview": Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics" This chapter is an overview of the registry XP. It includes common terminology and an explanation of how Windows XP organizes registry. You'll learn important concepts, such as the different types of data that store in the registry and the difference between little-endian and big-endian double-word values. What exactly is a GUID, anyway? You'll find out here. • Chapter 2, "Using the Registry Editor" Registry Editor is your window into the this chapter teaches you how to use it effectively. • Chapter 3, "Backing Up the Registry" Backing up the registry protects your settings. chapter shows quick-and-dirty ways to back up settings as well as methods for the entire registry. • Chapter 4, "Hacking the Registry" This chapter is a power user's dream describes some of the coolest hacks for Windows XP. For example, it shows customize the dickens out of Windows Explorer. • Chapter 5, "Mapping Tweak UI" Microsoft now has an updated version of Tweak this chapter describes it in detail. You don't just learn how to use Tweak UI; there's in that. You'll learn exactly where in the registry Tweak UI stores each setting apply them using your own scripts. • Part II, "Registry in Management," contains information useful to both power users professionals. In this section, you'll learn how to manage Windows XP's registry. You'll how to use the registry as a management tool: Chapter 6, "Using Registry-Based Policy" This chapter focuses on Group system policies. You'll learn the differences between them and how each policy can to manage computers and users. Importantly, you'll learn how to build your templates for Group Policy. • Chapter 7, "Managing Registry Security" Windows XP secures settings in the This chapter shows you how to manage the registry's security. It also shows poke selective holes in the registry's security so that you can deploy and applications on Windows XP. • Chapter 8, "Finding Registry Settings" Finding the location where Windows setting in the registry is easy, as long as you know which tools to use. I'll give Microsoft Word 2002 is the second best registry tool. You'll also learn about tools can use to remotely monitor the registry. • Part III, "Registry in Deployment," is primarily for IT professionals. This part of the book use the registry to deploy Windows XP and Office XP more effectively. It includes the chapters: Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes" A plethora of methods are available customizing registry edits. This chapter teaches the best of them, including REG files, and Windows Installer package files. It also describes tools such as Console Tool for Windows, which comes free with Windows XP. This is useful for editing from batch files. • Chapter 10, "Deploying User Profiles" Default user profiles are an effective way default settings to users. This chapter describes not only default user profiles, but and roaming user profiles as well. What's unique about this chapter is that it • 5 that's a better way to install applications. This chapter describes how Windows interacts with the registry. It will also help you clean up the registry when things with some Windows Installer–based applications. Chapter 12, "Deploying with Answer Files" This chapter shows you how Windows XP's installation and how to add registry settings to the mix. • Chapter 13, "Cloning Disks with Sysprep" Many companies that maintained Microsoft Windows 2000 disk images now can use just a single Windows XP They do that by generalizing their disk images so that they work on the widest variety of hardware. That's the topic of this chapter. This chapter also shows how interacts with the registry. • Chapter 14, "Microsoft Office XP User Settings" A big part of an Office XP project is deploying user settings. This chapter describes a variety of ways to You'll learn about tools that come with the Office XP Resource Kit, for example, techniques for using them. • Chapter 15, "Working Around IT Problems" This is a special chapter that addresses comments and questions I frequently hear from IT professions. How should coexistence issues between Microsoft Access 97 and Microsoft Access 2002? one of many IT issues you can address by using Windows XP's registry. • Part IV, "Appendices," is a reference that describes the contents of the registry. In the available in this book, I can't possibly describe every registry value. But Part IV describes interesting settings. These appendices describe the relationships between different portions registry, including how a variety of registry keys and values interact. Some Terminology Most of the terminology I use in this book is fairly standard by now, but to avoid confusion, moment to describe how I use some of it. Rather than give you hardcode paths, I use the standard environment variables that represent paths instead. That way, when you read the instructions, you'll be able to apply them scenario regardless of whether you're using a dual-boot configuration or where on your user profiles exist (C:\Documents and Settings or C:\Winnt\Profiles). Additionally, on your the folder that contains Windows XP's system files might be in a different location depending whether you upgraded to Windows XP, installed a clean copy of the operating customized the installation path in an answer file. Thus, I use the following environment throughout this book. (You can see these environment variables by typing set at an command prompt.) %USERPROFILE% represents the current user profile folder. Thus, if you log computer as Jerry and your profile folders are in C:\Documents and Settings, you'd %USERPROFILE% to C:\Documents and Settings\Jerry. • %SYSTEMDRIVE% is the drive that contains Windows XP's system files. That's drive C, but if you installed Windows XP on a different drive, perhaps in a configuration, it could be drive D, E, and so on. • %SYSTEMROOT% is the folder containing Windows XP. In a clean installation, usually C:\Windows, but if you upgraded from Windows NT or Windows 2000, it's C:\Winnt. • 6 cause lines to wrap in funny places. To make the book more readable, I use the following HKCR HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT HKCU HKEY_CURRENT_USER HKLM HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE HKU HKEY_USERS HKCC HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG Gotta Love Windows XP Before we move on to the rest of the book, I thought I'd share with you why I love Windows much. It makes all my various jobs much easier; it even made writing this book easier book I've ever written. For example, one of my favorite features is Remote Desktop. Before I got Windows XP, to have several computers sitting on my desk to test instructions, dig around in the registry, screen shots, and so on, or I had to walk back and forth between my lab and my office, which major productivity bust. For this book, I configured Remote Desktop on each Windows computer in my lab so I could connect to them from my production computer. That way, I two or three Remote Desktop connections open, each with a different experiment running. Desktop reduced writing time by a huge amount. It also reduced the number of times tempted to experiment on my production computer (which can result in a day of lost work trashed the computer's configuration). Remote Desktop was worth the cost of Windows XP And did I mention wireless networking? Windows XP enables me to get out of my office have 10 or so computers running, with the fan and hard drive noise that entails. Thanks networking, which Windows XP makes a no-brainer to configure, I could find a quiet house to hide while I was writing this book. No fans. No noise. And even when I was hiding bedroom, I could still connect to the computers in my lab. Regarding the registry itself, there are a few changes that struck me right away. First Microsoft rid of the dueling registry editors. Windows 2000 had two editors: Regedit and Regedt32. strengths and weakness, and you had no choice but to flip back and forth between each. XP combines both editors into a single registry editor. Another new feature is Console Registry for Windows (Reg). Windows XP includes this tool by default, whereas in Windows 2000 install it from the support tools. This makes it a more viable tool for scripting registry batch files. And it's free! Final Note This is the registry book that I've been waiting two years to write. I hope that it makes your XP experience even better. I also hope it will make you more productive and more effective. If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to send them my <[email protected]>. I answer my e-mail. You can also visit my http://www.honeycutt.com, to download the samples that you see in this book. You'll mailing lists you can join and additional articles that I've written about Windows XP, the registry, various deployment topics. 7 Chapter List Chapter 1: Learning the Basics Chapter 2: Using the Registry Editor Chapter 3: Backing up the Registry Chapter 4: Hacking the Registry Chapter 5: Mapping Tweak UI Part Overview Working with the registry is daunting if you know little about it. Thus, in this part, you basic information you need to successfully leverage the registry. For example, you learn contents of the registry and the types of data you find in it. You learn how to back up and registry, and how to edit the registry using Registry Editor. This part is for IT professionals and power users. Aside from learning the basics and backing registry, for example, it describes how to hack settings in the registry to customize Windows Many of the settings you learn about in this part aren't available through the user interface. also describes one of the most popular downloads on the Internet: Tweak UI. Instead you how to use this simple program, however, it describes where the program stores every one of its settings in the registry. Read this part from beginning to end. Don't skip it. With the basics under your belt, and what you can do with the registry, you'll be better prepared to tackle the content elsewhere book. 9 Overview The registry has a subtle but important role in Microsoft Windows XP. On one hand, the passive—it's just a big collection of settings sitting on your hard disk, and you probably much about it while you're editing a document, browsing the Internet, or searching for a other hand, it plays a key role in all those activities. The settings in the registry determine Windows XP appears and how it behaves. They even control applications running computer. This gives the registry great potential as a tool for power users or IT professionals, enabling them to customize settings that aren't available in the user interface. This chapter introduces the registry to you. First you learn about the registry's role and into your world. Then I explain some important terminology to ensure that we're speaking language, and you see how Windows XP organizes the registry. Next you learn about use to edit the registry. And last, you see how Windows XP stores the registry on the Throughout this chapter, you'll find several tidbits that are useful beyond the registry. For you learn about the two different architectures for storing numbers in memory, professionals run into as much outside the registry as inside. This is all basic information, but don't skip this chapter. Read it once, and you'll be set for this book. Heart and Soul of Windows XP Windows XP stores configuration data in the registry. The registry is a hierarchical database, you can describe as a central repository for configuration data (Microsoft's terminology) configuration database (my terminology). A hierarchical database has characteristics ideally suited to storing configuration data. Lay out the database in a diagram, like the one Figure 1-1, and it looks like an outline or organization chart. This allows settings to be using paths, similar to file paths in Windows XP. For example, in Figure 1-1, the references the shaded box. Also, each setting is an ordered pair that associates a value's with its data, similar to the way the IRS associates your social security number with records. The registry's hierarchical organization makes all settings easy to reference. 10 Figure 1-1: The registry is a hierarchical database that contains most of Windows XP's settings. You can do nothing in Windows XP that doesn't access the registry. I use a tool to monitor access and often leave it running while clicking around the operating system's user almost never see this monitor idle. With every click, Windows XP consults the registry. launch a program, the operating system consults the registry. Every application I use settings in the registry. The registry is certainly the center of attention. I've written other books about the registry, and in them I call the registry the operating heart and soul. Aside from being a central place to store settings, the registry by its allows complex relationships between different parts of Windows XP, applications, and interface. For example, right-click different types of files and you see different shortcut Settings in the registry make this type of context-sensitive user interface possible. The each user who logs on to Windows XP are separate from those of other users—again the registry. Windows XP's ability to use different configurations for laptop computers depending whether they're docked or undocked is due in large part to the registry. Even Plug depends on the registry. For Power Users So the registry is important, but what good is learning about it for power users? Well, first, technology enthusiast (the high-brow way to say geek) implies that you like to dabble technology to learn more about it. What better way to learn more about Windows XP than out how and where it stores settings? The process is analogous to tearing apart your VCR you can learn how it works. If you've ever wondered why the operating system behaves way, the answer is often found by consulting the registry. Mastering the registry has concrete advantages for power users, though. Because it is the system's configuration database, backing up your settings is a bit easier than it would be registry. And unlike in the old days when settings were stored in INI files, you always know begin looking when you need to find a value. But the biggest advantage of mastering the more exciting and very real: You can customize Windows XP and the applications that 11 folder to a different place, improve your Internet connection's performance, and add commands any type of file's shortcut menu. Chapter 4, "Hacking the Registry," details many customization possibilities. For IT Professionals IT professionals rely on the registry because it enables most of the management features Large portions of this book focus on those features and how they use the registry. Policy management is the biggest feature. IT professionals use policies to configure computer user settings to a standard, and users can't change those settings. For example, I recently policies to configure users' screen savers so that they lock the desktop after 15 minutes which secures users' computers if they walk away from their desks without logging Windows XP. Policy management is a great boon to every IT organization because costs and boost user productivity. IT professionals can manage the registry's security, which lets users run legacy applications restricted accounts instead of logging on to their computers as Administrator (a bad enterprise environment). You can manage the registry's security directly or using a tool Security Configuration And Analysis to automate the process. (For more information, see "Managing Registry Security.") Also, IT professionals can use a combination of scripts and the registry to automate customizations. One IT professional with whom I worked recently wrote scripts to clean up and configure computers after installing Windows XP on them. You can address most needs with a good An indirect but important benefit of the registry to IT professionals is application compatibility. Microsoft defines standards for where different types of settings belong in the registry. The has standards for file associations, Plug and Play configuration data, printer settings, settings, and much more. Applications that follow these standards are more likely to work the operating system, not to mention other applications, because they're all looking for settings in the same places. For that matter, most applications that work well in Microsoft 2000 will work just fine in Windows XP, given that the overall structure of the registry change much between the operating systems. The registry enables too many other management features for IT professionals to neglect it. Some of those features include the following (see Figure 1-2): Deployment customization • Folder redirection • Hardware profiles • Offline files • Performance monitoring • Roaming user profiles • Windows Management Instrumentation • 12 Figure 1-2: The registry enables local and remote administration. Brief History of the Registry MS-DOS got its configuration data from Config.sys and Autoexec.bat. The primary purpose of Config.sys was to load device drivers, and the primary purpose of Autoexec.bat was to prepare MS-DOS for use by running programs, setting environment variables, and so on. Every application that ran on MS-DOS was responsible for managing its own settings. Neither of these configuration files is useful in Windows XP. Microsoft Windows 3.0 alleviated the limitations of Autoexec.bat and Config.sys a bit by providing INI files for storing settings. INI files are text files that contain one or more sections with one or more settings in each section. You've undoubtedly seen plenty of them. The problem with INI files is that they provide no hierarchy, storing binary values in them is cumbersome (although not impossible), and they provide no standard for storing similar types of settings. INI files have other subtle problems, all related to the configuration file's inability to build complex relationships between applications and the operating system. A bigger problem with INI files and early versions of Windows was the sheer number of them that floated around the average computer. Every application had its own INI files. Windows 3.1 introduced the registry as a tool for storing OLE (object linking and embedding) settings, and Windows 95 and Windows NT 3.5 expanded the registry to the configuration database that Windows XP uses now. Even though INI files are no longer necessary because applications now have a far better way to store settings, you'll always find a handful on any computer, including Win.ini. A few years ago, people were more interested in the history of the registry than they are now. The registry has been around since before 1995, and everyone pretty much takes it for granted these days, so I won't waste any more book pages on its lineage. The history lesson is over; now you're living in the present. 13 Registry Warnings and Myths For all of its benefits, the registry is a great paradox. On the one hand, it's the central place for all of Windows XP's configuration data. It's the keystone. On the other hand, the fact that the registry is so critical also makes it one of the operating system's weaknesses. Take out the keystone, and the arch crumbles. If the registry fails, Windows XP fails. Fortunately, total failure is less likely than my winning the lottery before you finish this book, and partial failure that doesn't prevent you from starting the computer is often easily overcome. The registry's keystone role is one of the reasons for its mythical stature. Microsoft doesn't say much about it. You don't find the registry's editor on the Start menu. You find very little information about the registry in Help. Microsoft doesn't provide white papers that help users unlock its secrets. And why should they? Do you really want the average user mucking around in the registry? The dearth of information coming from Microsoft led to home-grown registry Web sites and FAQs, which are still somewhat popular. All these factors contribute to the myth of the registry as a magical configuration play land. Woo hoo! I want to debunk that myth. Don't get me wrong: There is a lot of power packed into the registry. But there is no magic and there's nothing to fear. Simply put, the registry is nothing more than your computer's settings. After you're used to working in the registry, doing so no longer gives you chills of excitement; it barely gets a yawn. The warnings you see in most documents that contain instructions for editing the registry are definitely overblown, particularly for readers of this book, who are either power users or IT professionals. (I wouldn't say that if the book were for novice or intermediate users.) You can do very little damage to the registry that you can't undo, assuming you take the straightforward precautions of backing up settings before you change them and backing up your computer on a regular basis. Failing that, use one of the many troubleshooting tools you learn about in this book to fix problems. Chapter 3, "Backing up the Registry," contains a lot of troubleshooting help. Use a bit of common sense and you'll do just fine. Must-Know Concepts Learning the concepts in the following sections is important to your satisfaction with this book. These are the things you must know to work efficiently with the registry. For example, the registry is filled with hexadecimal numbers, and if you don't understand hexadecimal, they're not going to make sense to you. If you're a programmer, you can probably skip these sections; otherwise, don't The following sections walk you through the most important of these concepts, beginning with security and globally unique identifiers. You learn how to read hexadecimal numbers and convert them to binary and decimal notation and use them as bit masks. You learn the difference between Unicode and ANSI character encoding. You even learn how Intel-based computers store numbers in memory. All of these topics are significant to your ability to use the registry as a tool. Security Identifiers Computer accounts, user accounts, groups, and other security-related objects are security principles. Security Identifiers (SIDs) uniquely identify security principles. Each time Windows XP or 14 security database. The Domain Security Authority generates SIDs for domain security and then stores them in Active Directory. SIDs are unique within their scope. Every local principle's SID is unique on the computer. And every domain security principle's SID is unique any domain in the enterprise. What's more, Windows XP and Active Directory never reuse even if they delete the security principle to which that SID belonged. Thus, if you delete and then add it back, the account gets a new SID. The important thing to remember is that every account has a SID. It's kind of like having number that uniquely identifies you to immigration. You can refer to an account by its name SID, but in practice you seldom use the SID because its format is cumbersome. You frequently accounts' SIDs in the registry, though, and that's why you're learning about them here. An example of a SID is S-1-5-21-2857422465-1465058494-1690550294-500. A begins with S-. The next number identifies the SID's version—in this case, version number indicates the identifier authority and is usually 5, which is NT Authority. The numbers up to 500 is the domain identifier, and the rest of the SID is a relative identifier, the account or group. This is a real rough overview of the format of a SID, which is complexthanthisbriefexample.Ifyouwanttolearnmoreabout S http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/en/distrib/dsce_ctl_xgqv.htm, section in the Windows 2000 Resource Kit about SIDs. Some SIDs are shorter than the previous example, such as S-1-5-18. These are wellSIDs, and they are the same on every computer and in every domain. They are interesting they pop up over and over again in the registry and in other places. Table 1-1 describes XP's well-known SIDs. I've italicized the names of SIDs that are of particular interest to you're reading this book. The placeholder domain is the SID's domain identifier. Table 1-1: Well-Known SIDs SID User or Group name S-1-0 Null Authority S-1-0-0 Nobody S-1-1 World Authority S-1-1-0 Everyone S-1-2 Local Authority S-1-2-0 Local S-1-3 Creator S-1-3-0 Creator Owner S-1-3-1 Creator Group S-1-3-2 Not used in Windows XP S-1-3-3 Not used in Windows XP S-1-4 Nonunique Authority S-1-5 NT Authority S-1-5-1 Dialup S-1-5-2 Network S-1-5-3 Batch 15 S-1-5-4 Interactive S-1-5-5-X-Y Logon Session S-1-5-6 Service S-1-5-7 Anonymous S-1-5-8 Not used in Windows XP S-1-5-9 Enterprise Domain Controllers S-1-5-10 Self S-1-5-11 Authenticated Users S-1-5-12 Restricted S-1-5-13 Terminal Service User S-1-5-14 Remote Interactive Logon S-1-5-18 LocalSystem or System S-1-5-19 LocalService S-1-5-29 NetworkService S-1-5-domain-500 Administrator S-1-5-domain-501 Guest S-1-5-domain-502 krbtgt S-1-5-domain-512 Domain Admins S-1-5-domain-513 Domain Users S-1-5-domain-514 Domain Guests S-1-5-domain-515 Domain Computers S-1-5-domain-516 Domain Controllers S-1-5-domain-517 Cert Publishers S-1-5-root domain-518 Schema Admins S-1-5-root domain-519 Enterprise Admins S-1-5-root domain-520 Group Policy Creator Owners S-1-5-domain-553 RAS and IAS Servers S-1-5-32-544 Administrators S-1-5-32-545 Users S-1-5-32-546 Guests S-1-5-32-547 Power Users S-1-5-32-548 Account Operators S-1-5-32-549 Server Operators S-1-5-32-550 Print Operators S-1-5-32-551 Backup Operators S-1-5-32-552 Replicator S-1-5-32-554 Pre-Windows 2000 Compatible Access S-1-5-32-555 Remote Desktop Users S-1-5-32-556 Network Configuration Operators S-1-6 Site Server Authority S-1-7 Internet Site Authority S-1-8 Exchange Authority S-1-9 Resource Manager Authority 16 Globally unique identifiers are better known as GUIDs (pronounced goo id). They are numbers uniquely identify objects, including computers, program components, devices, and so objects often have names, but their GUIDs remain unique even if two objects have the same or their names change. In other words, an object's GUID is similar to a security principle's see GUIDs scattered all over the registry, so you should get used to them. All GUIDs have the same interesting format. They're 16-byte hexadecimal numbers in groups 4, 4, 4, and 12 digits (0 through 9 and A through F). A dash divides each group of digits, bracketsenclosethewholenumber.Anexampleofareal {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}, which represents the Recycle Bin object see on the desktop. The GUID {127A89AD-C4E3-D411-BDC8-001083FDCE08} belongs of the computers in my lab. Programmers often use the tool Guidgen.exe to create GUIDs, but Windows XP generates too. Regardless of the source, Microsoft guarantees that GUIDs are globally unique name). No matter how many times Guidgen.exe or Windows XP generates a GUID, the always unique. That's what makes GUIDs perfect for identifying objects like computers, and what have you. Hexadecimal Notation Ninety-nine percent of the data you see in the registry is hexadecimal. Computers use hexadecimal notation instead of decimal for a good reason, which you'll learn in a bit. You must learn and convert hexadecimal numbers to use the registry as an effective tool. And that's the section. Binary and decimal notations don't get along well. You learned decimal notation as a child. notation, 734 is 7 x 102 + 3 x 101 + 4 x 100, which is 7 x 100 + 3 x 10 + 4 x 1. Easy enough, The digits are 0 through 9, and because you multiply each digit right to left by increasing 10 (100, 101, 102, and so on), this notation is called base 10. The problem is that decimal doesn't translate well into the computer's system of ones and zeros. Binary notation does. notation, 1011 is 1 x 23 + 0 x 22 + 1 x 21 + 1 x 20 or 1 x 8 + 0 x 4 + 1 x 2 + 1 x 1 or 11. The 0 and 1, and because you multiply each digit right to left by increasing powers of 2 (20, so on), this notation is called base 2. Converting a binary number to a decimal number work, and binary numbers are too cumbersome for people to read and write. That brings us to hexadecimal notation. Hexadecimal notation is base 16, and because evenly divide 16 by 2, converting between binary and hexadecimal is straightforward. The 0 through 9 and A through F. Table 1-2 shows the decimal equivalent of each digit. In hexadecimal, A09C is 10 x 163 + 0 x 162 + 9 x 161 + 12 x 160 or 10 x 4096 + 0 x 256 + 9 x 16 + 12 x 1, in decimal notation. As with the other examples, you multiply each hexadecimal digit right increasing powers of 16 (160, 161, 162, and so on). Table 1-2: Hexadecimal Digits Binary Hexadecimal Decimal 0000 0 0 0001 1 1 0010 2 2 17 0011 3 3 0100 4 4 0101 5 5 0110 6 6 0111 7 7 1000 8 8 1001 9 9 1010 A 10 1011 B 11 1100 C 12 1101 D 13 1110 E 14 1111 F 15 Converting between binary and hexadecimal notations might be straightforward but consuming, so I'm offering you a trick. When converting from binary to hexadecimal, use to look up each group of four digits from left to right, and jot down its hexadecimal equivalent. example, to convert 01101010 to hexadecimal, look up 0110 to get 6, and then look up A, so that you end up with the hexadecimal number 6A. If the number of digits in the binary isn't evenly divisible by 4, just pad the left side with zeros. To convert hexadecimal binary, use Table 1-2 to look up each hexadecimal digit from left to right, and jot down equivalent. For example, to convert 1F from hexadecimal to binary, look up 1 to get 0001, to get 1111, and string them together to get 00011111. One last problem: Is 12 a decimal number or a hexadecimal number? You don't have information to know for sure. The solution is to always use the prefix 0x at the beginning hexadecimal numbers. 0x12 is then a hexadecimal number, whereas 12 is a decimal number. is the standard format for hexadecimal numbers, and it's the format that Microsoft documentation and in all the tools you'll use in this book. TipIf converting binary, hexadecimal, and decimal numbers is too much work for you, as is for me, use Windows XP's Calculator. Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, and Make sure you change to scientific view by clicking Scientific on the View menu. In part of Calculator's window, you see four buttons: Hex, Dec, Oct, and Bin. Click corresponding to the notation in which you want to input a number, type the number, click the button corresponding to the notation to which you want to convert the number. Bits and Bit Masks You have binary and hexadecimal notations under your belt, and now you need bit masks. registry, Windows XP sometimes groups settings together in one number. Each bit number is a different setting. Thus, you can store eight settings in a byte, 16 settings in so on. In this book and elsewhere, you'll see instructions that tell you that a setting's 0x20, which simply means that you turn on that setting by enabling the bits that 0x20 This will make more sense soon. You count a binary number's bits from right to left, starting with 0. The number in Figure next page is 0x26. The top part shows the binary equivalent, and the second part shows number. The bit on the far right is bit 0. In this example, bits 1, 2, and 5 are 1, whereas 18 Figure 1-3: When fooling around with bits, a binary 1 is the same thing as yes or true, and 0 is the same thing as no or false. In other words, they are Boolean values. Many times, instructions you read aren't always so nice as to give you an exact bit number, have to do a bit of math. Often, all you'll see is a bit mask, and you have to figure out which mask actually represents. For example, to turn on bit 0x40 in the number 0x43, convert numbers to binary, figure out which bits the mask represents, change those bits to number, and then convert the number back to hexadecimal. Calculator in Scientific easiest way to do these steps. You'd do the same to turn off the setting, except that you'd the target bits to 0. After a while, you get pretty good at figuring out which bits a mask though. Moving from right to left, each bit's mask is 0x01, 0x02, 0x04, 0x08, 0x10, 0x20, 0x80. The bottom part of Figure 1-3 illustrates this. Note Turning on and off bit masks is even easier if you use bitwise math. To turn a bit mask number, OR the two numbers together. To turn a bit mask off in a number, reverse the mask, and then AND it together with the number: number AND NOT mask. Calculator Scientific Mode supports all these operations. Little-Endian and Big-Endian In a hexadecimal number such as 0x0102, the 0x01 is the most significant byte and the least significant. The left-most bytes are more significant because you multiple these higher power of 16. The right-most digits are less significant, and the digits become more as you move from right to left. Programs store numbers in memory in two ways: big-endian or little-endian. When stores a number using big-endian (big end first) storage, it stores the most significant memory first, followed by the less significant bytes. When stored in memory using storage, the number 0x01020304 is 0x01 0x02 0x03 0x04. Makes sense, doesn't it? The that Intel-based processors don't store numbers in memory this way. Intel-based processors the little-endian (little end first) architecture, which means they store the least significant followed by the more significant bytes. Thus, the number 0x01020304 is 0x04 0x03 0x02 memory. Although most of the tools you'll use display all numbers—little-endian or big-endian you'll have to pay careful attention when you're looking at numbers in binary values because tools won't automatically reverse the order of the bytes for you. Thus, if you see the number 0x77 in a binary value, you'll have to remember to reverse the order of bytes to get 0x7734. 19 The first prominent character encoding scheme was ASCII, and it's still in use today. character encoding, each character is 8 bits, or a single byte. Because ASCII was languages, its use was limited in European countries and regions whose languages characters that weren't included in the 256 characters that ASCII supported. To get limitation, the International Standards Organization (ISO) created a new character standard called Latin-1 that included European characters left out of the ASCII set. enhanced Latin-1 and called the standard ANSI. But ANSI is still an 8-bit character encoding can represent only 256 unique characters. Many languages have thousands of symbols, Asian languages such as Chinese, Korean, and Japanese. To overcome the limitations of an 8-bit character encoding standard, Microsoft, in cahoots companies such as Apple Computer, Inc., and IBM, created the non-profit consortium Inc., to define a new character encoding standard for international character sets. The work Unicode merged with work already in progress at ISO, and the result is the Unicode standard character encoding. Unicode is a 16-bit encoding standard, which provides for 65,536 characters—more than enough to represent all of the world's languages. It even supports languages, such as Sanskrit and Egyptian hieroglyphs, and includes punctuation mathematical symbols, and graphical symbols. Unicode is Windows XP's native character encoding, but it also supports ANSI. Internally, operating system represents object names, paths, and file names as 16-bit Unicode Also, it usually stores data in the registry using Unicode. If a program stores the text ANSI, it looks like 0x4A 0x65 0x72 0x72 0x79 in memory. However, if the program stores string using Unicode, it looks like 0x4A 0x00 0x65 0x00 0x72 0x00 0x72 0x00 0x79 memory. Why? Because Unicode text is 16-bits, and Windows XP stores 16-bit little-endian format (see "Little-Endian and Big-Endian Storage," earlier in this chapter). writes the J into memory as 0x004A (with the bytes reversed), followed by the e as 0x0065, then the remaining characters as 0x0072, 0x0072, and 0x0079. Null and Empty Strings If you've written programs using a language such as C, the concept of null isn't foreign is the null character, or 0x00. Windows XP terminates strings with the null character programs know where strings end. In the registry, a similar concept is that a value can have null data, meaning that it contains at all. It's empty. Usually, when you're looking at the null value in the registry, you see (value not set). This is different from a value that contains an empty string—text characters in length, or "". The following values are not the same: null • "" • Structure of the Registry The structure of Windows XP's registry is so similar to the structure of its file system that but make the analogy. Figure 1-4 compares Registry Editor, the tool you use to edit and Windows Explorer. (You learn how to use Registry Editor in Chapter 2, "Using the 20 is a registry key. In the editor's right pane, which is called the value pane, you see a key's just as you see a folder's contents in Windows Explorer's right pane. Figure 1-4: If you're familiar with Windows Explorer, and I'll bet you are, you won't have understanding the registry's structure, which is similar to that of the file system. Take another look at Figure 1-4. In Windows Explorer, you see each of the computer's My Computer. Likewise, in Registry Editor, you see each of the registry's root keys Computer. Although you see the full name of each root key in Registry Editor, I tend standard abbreviations you see in Table 1-3. The abbreviations are easier to type and a book like this one, they usually keep long names from splitting in unfriendly places wrap across two lines. Table 1-3: Root Keys Name Abbreviation 21 HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT HKCR HKEY_CURRENT_USER HKCU HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE HKLM HKEY_USERS HKU HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG HKCC Keys Keys are so similar to folders (Registry Editor even uses the same icon for keys as Explorer uses for folders) that they have the same naming rules. You can nest one or within another key as long as the names are unique within each key. A key's name is limited ANSI or 256 Unicode characters, and you can use any ASCII character in the name other backslash (\), asterisk (*), and question mark (?). In addition, Windows XP reserves all begin with a period for its own use. The similarities between the registry and file system continue with paths. C:\ \System32\Sol.exe refers to a file called Sol.exe on drive C in a subfolder of \Windows System32. HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\Wallpaper refers to a value called Wallpaper key HKCU in a subkey of Control Panel called Desktop. This notation is a fully qualified refer to a key and all its subkeys as a branch. Note I usually use the term key, but occasionally I use subkey to indicate a parentrelationship between one key and another. Thus, when you see something that describes key Software and its subkey Microsoft, it indicates that Microsoft is a child Software. The last thing to tackle in this section is the concept of linked keys. Windows XP stores profiles in HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Hardware Profiles\. Each hardware profile nnnn, where nnnn is an incremental number beginning with 0000. The subkey Current whichever key is the current hardware profile, and root key HKCC is a link to Current. It terribly convoluted until you see the relationship in Figure 1-5. Think of links as aliases or if you care to continue the file system analogy. 22 Figure 1-5: When one key is linked to another, as in this example, the same subkeys and appear in both places. Values Each key contains one or more values. In my analogy with Windows Explorer, values are files. A value's name is similar to a file's name. A value's type is similar to a file's extension, indicates its type. A value's data is similar to the file's actual contents. Click a key Editor's key pane, and the program shows the key's values in the value pane. In the you see three columns, which correspond to the three parts of a value: Name. Every value has a name. The same rules for naming keys apply to values: ANSI or 256 Unicode characters except for the backslash (\), asterisk (*), and question (?), with Windows XP reserving all names that begin with a period. Within each names must be unique, but different keys can have values with the same name. • Type. Each value's type determines the type of data that it contains. For REG_DWORD value contains a double-word number, and a REG_SZ value string. The section "Types," later in this chapter, describes the different types Windows XP supports in the registry. • Data. Each value can be empty, or null, or can contain data. A value's data maximum of 32,767 bytes, but the practical limit is 2 KB. The data usually corresponds the type, except that binary values can contain strings, double-words, or anything that matter. • Every key contains at least one value, and that's the default value. When you look at through Registry Editor, you see the default value as (Default). The default value is almost string, but ill-behaved programs can change it to other types. In most cases, the default null, and Registry Editor displays its data as (value not set). When instructions require change a key's default value, they usually say so explicitly: "Set the key's default value." NoteWhen looking at a key's fully qualified path, you have to figure out whether the path value or not. Usually, the text is clear about whether the path is to a key or includes but sometimes it isn't. For example, does HKCR\txtfile\EditFlags refer to a key or 23 value name end with a backslash (\). If there is no backslash, pay particular attention context to make sure you know whether the path is just a key or includes a value. a bit of common sense is all you need. Types Windows XP supports the following types of data in the registry. As you look through this that REG_BINARY, REG_DWORD, and REG_SZ account for the vast majority of all the the registry: REG_BINARY. Binary data. Registry Editor displays binary data in hexadecimal and you enter binary data using hexadecimal notation. An example of a REG_BINARY is 0x02 0xFE 0xA9 0x38 0x92 0x38 0xAB 0xD9. • REG_DWORD. Double-word values (32-bits). Many values are REG_DWORD as Boolean flags (0 or 1, true or false, yes or no). You also see time stored in REG_ values in milliseconds (1000 is 1 second). 32-bit unsigned numbers range 4,294,967,295 and 32-bit signed numbers range from -2,147,483,648 to 2,147,483,647. You can view and edit these values in decimal or hexadecimal notation. Examples REG_DWORD values are 0xFE020001 and 0x10010001. • REG_DWORD_BIG_ENDIAN. Double-word values with the most significant bytes first in memory. The order of the bytes is the opposite of the order in which REG_ stores them. For example, the number 0x01020304 is stored in memory as 0x01 0x04. You don't see this data type much on Intel-based architectures. • REG_DWORD_LITTLE_ENDIAN. Double-word values with the least significant stored first in memory (reverse-byte order). This type is the same as REG_DWORD, because Intel-based architectures store numbers in memory in this format, it common number format in Windows XP. For example, the number 0x01020304 memory as 0x04 0x03 0x02 0x01. Registry Editor doesn't offer the ability REG_DWORD_LITTLE_ENDIAN values, because this value type is identical REG_DWORD in the registry. • REG_EXPAND_SZ. Variable-length text. A value of this type can include environment variables, and the program using the value expands those variables before using example, a REG_EXPAND_SZ value that contains %USERPROFILE%\Favorites expanded to C:\Documents and Settings\Jerry\Favorites before the program registry API (Application Programming Interface) relies on the calling program to environment variables in REG_EXPAND_SZ strings, so it's useless if the program expand them. See Chapter 10, "Deploying User Profiles" to learn how to use value to fix some interesting problems. • REG_FULL_RESOURCE_DESCRIPTOR. Resource lists for a device or device data type is important to Plug and Play, but it doesn't figure much in your work registry. Registry Editor doesn't provide a way to create this type of value, but it you to display it. See HKLM\HARDWARE\DESCRIPTION\Description for examples data type. • REG_LINK. A link. You can't create REG_LINK values. • REG_MULTI_SZ. Binary values that contain lists of strings. Registry Editor displays string on each line and allows you to edit these lists. In the registry, a null character separates each string, and two null characters end the list. • REG_NONE. Values with no defined type. • REG_QWORD. Quadruple-word values (64-bits). This type is similar to REG_DWORD contains 64 bits instead of 32 bits. The only version of Windows XP that supports • 24 REG_QWORD_BIG_ENDIAN. Quadruple-word values with the most significant bytes stored first in memory. The order of the bytes is the opposite of the order in which REG_QWORD stores them. See REG_DWORD_BIG_ENDIAN for more information about this value type. • REG_QWORD_LITTLE_ENDIAN. Quadruple-word values with the least significant bytes stored first in memory (reverse-byte order). This type is the same as REG_QWORD. See REG_DWORD_LITTLE_ENDIAN for more information. Registry Editor doesn't offer the ability to create REG_QWORD_LITTLE_ENDIAN values, because this value type is identical to REG_QWORD in the registry. • REG_RESOURCE_LIST. List of REG_FULL_RESOURCE_DESCRIPTION values. Registry Editor allows you to view but not edit this type of value. • REG_RESOURCE_REQUIREMENTS_LIST. List of resources that a device requires. Registry Editor allows you to view but not edit this type of value. • REG_SZ. Fixed-length text. Other than REG_DWORD values, REG_SZ values are the most common types of data in the registry. An example of a REG_SZ value is Microsoft Windows XP or Jerry Honeycutt. Each string ends with a null character. Programs don't expand environment variables in REG_SZ values. • Data in Binary Values Of all the values in the registry, binary values are the least straightforward. When an application reads a binary value from the registry, deciphering its meaning is up to the program. This means that applications can store data in binary values using their own data structures, and those data structures mean nothing to you or any other program. Also, applications often store REG_DWORD and REG_SZ data in REG_BINARY values, which makes finding and deciphering them difficult, as you learn in Chapter 8, "Finding Registry Settings." In fact, some programs use REG_DWORD and four-byte REG_BINARY values interchangeably; thus, keeping in mind that Intel-based computers use little-endian architecture, the binary value 0x01 0x02 0x03 0x04 and the REG_DWORD value 0x04030201 are exactly the same thing. Now I'm going to make things more difficult. The registry actually stores all values as binary values. The registry API identifies each type of value by a number, which programmers refer to as a constant, and which I tend to think of as the type number. You'll notice this type number mostly when you export keys to REG files—something you learn how to do in Chapter 2. For example, when you export a REG_MULTI_SZ value to a REG file, Registry Editor writes a binary value with the type number 7. Normally, the type number associated with each value type doesn't matter because you refer to them by their names, but there are times when the information in the Table 1-4 will come in handy: Table 1-4: Value Types Type Number REG_NONE 0 REG_SZ 1 REG_EXPAND_SZ 2 REG_BINARY 3 REG_DWORD 4 REG_DWORD_LITTLE_ENDIAN 4 REG_DWORD_BIG_ENDIAN 5 25 REG_LINK 6 REG_MULTI_SZ 7 REG_RESOURCE_LIST 8 Organization of the Registry Part IV, "Appendices," describes the contents of the registry in detail. The overview in this section makes getting around in the registry easier until you get there. Of the five root keys you learned about earlier, HKLM and HKU are more important than the others. These are the only root keys that Windows XP actually stores on disk. The other root keys are links to subkeys in HKLM or HKU. HKCU is a link to a subkey in HKU. HKCR and HKCC are links to subkeys in HKLM. Figure 1-6 illustrates this relationship between root keys and their links to keys. Figure 1-6: Three of the registry's root keys are links to subkeys in HKU and HKLM. Throughout this book, you'll see the terms per-user and per-computer, which indicate whether a setting applies to the user or the computer. Per-user settings are user specific—for example, whether or not a user prefers to display Windows Explorer's status bar. Per-computer settings apply to the computer and every user who logs on to the computer—for example, network configuration. Per-user settings are in HKCU, and per-computer settings are in HKLM. In Chapter 26 HKEY_USERS HKU contains at least three subkeys: .DEFAULT contains the per-user settings that Windows XP uses to display before any user logs on to the computer. This isn't the same thing as a default which Windows XP uses to create settings for users the first time they log computer. • SID, where SID is the security identifier of the console user (the console user sitting at the keyboard), contains per-user settings. HKCU is linked to this key. contains settings such as the user's desktop preferences and Control Panel settings. • SID_Classes, where SID is the security identifier of the console user, contains class registrations and file associations. Windows XP merges the contents HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes and HKU\SID_Classes into HKCR. • You'll usually see other SIDs in HKU, including the following (see Table 1-1 for a refresher): S-1-5-18 is the well-known SID for the LocalSystem account. Windows XP account's profile when a program or service runs in the LocalSystem account. • S-1-5-19 is the well-known SID for the LocalService account. Service Control uses this account to run local services that don't need to run as the LocalSystem • S-1-5-20 is the well-known SID for the NetworkService account. Service Control uses this account to run network services that don't need to run as the LocalSystem account. • You can ignore these SIDs when working in HKU. Any other subkeys in HKU belong to secondary users. For example, if you use Windows As command to run a program as a different user, the operating system loads that user settings into HKU. This feature, called secondary logon, enables users to run programs elevated privileges without requiring them to actually log on to a different account. For I'm logged on to the computer using the account Jerry, which is in the Power Users need to do something in a program as an administrator, I hold down the Shift key, rightprogram's shortcut, click Run As, and then type the Administrator account's name and The program runs under the Administrator account and, in this case, HKU contains settings the Jerry and Administrator accounts. This technique helps prevent human error opportunistic viruses. Figure 1-7 shows a typical HKU and describes each of its subkeys. You'll see the same service account settings on your computer that you see in the figure. The remaining subkeys their SIDs will be different, depending on the SID of the console user account and whether accounts have logged on to Windows XP. 27 Figure 1-7: Each subkey in HKU contains an account's settings. HKEY_CURRENT_USER HKCU contains the console user's per-user settings. This root key is a link to HKU\SID, is the console user's security identifier. This branch includes environment variables, settings, network connections, printers, and application preferences. Here's a snapshot this root key's subkeys: AppEvents. Associates sounds with events. For example, it associates sounds with menus, minimizing windows, and logging off Windows XP. • Console. Stores data for the console subsystem, which hosts all characterapplications, including the MS-DOS command prompt. In addition, the Console contain subkeys for custom command windows. • Control Panel. Contains accessibility, regional, and desktop appearance settings. configure most of these settings in Control Panel. However, this key contains a useful settings that have no user interface; you can configure them only through the • Environment. Stores environment variables users have set. Each value associates environment variable with the string that Windows XP substitutes for the variable. default values for these entries are in the user's profile. • Identities. Contains one subkey for each identity in Microsoft Outlook Express. Express uses identities to allow multiple users to share a single mail client. With XP's support for user profiles, one user's settings are separate from other users' this key is seldom necessary. • Keyboard Layout. Contains information about the installed keyboard layouts. • Network. Stores information about mapped network drives. Each subkey in Network mapped drive to which Windows XP connects each time the user logs on to the The subkeys' names are the drive letters to which the drives are mapped. Each contains settings used to reconnect the drive. • Printers. Stores user preferences for printers. • Software. Contains per-user application settings. Windows XP stores much configuration in this key, too. Microsoft has standardized its organization so that store settings in HKCU\Software\Vendor\Program\Version\. Vendor is the name program's publisher, Program is the name of the program, and Version is the version number. Often, as is the case with Windows XP, Version is simply CurrentVersion. • Volatile Environment. Contains environment variables defined when the user logged Windows XP. • Other subkeys you see in HKCU are usually legacy leftovers or uninteresting. They UNICODE Program Groups, SessionInformation, and Windows 3.1 Migration Status. 28 HKLM contains per-computer settings, which means the settings in this branch apply computer's configuration and affect every user who logs on to it. Settings run the gamut driver configurations to Windows XP settings. HKLM contains the following subkeys these subkeys are capitalized; I'll explain why later): HARDWARE. Stores data describing the hardware that Windows XP detects The operating system creates this key each time it starts, and it includes information devices and the device drivers and resources associated with them. This key information that IT professionals find useful during a network inventory, as you Chapter 15, "Working Around IT Problems." • SAM. Contains Windows XP's local security database, the Security Accounts (SAM). Windows XP stores local users and groups in SAM. This key's access (ACL) prevents even administrators from viewing it. SAM is a link HKLM\SECURITY\SAM. • SECURITY. Contains Windows XP's local security database in the subkey SAM, other security settings. This key's ACL prevents even administrators from viewing they take ownership of it. • SOFTWARE. Contains per-computer application settings. Windows XP stores this key, too. Microsoft standardized this key's organization so that programs store in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Vendor\Program\Version\. Vendor is the name of the publisher, Program is the name of the program, and Version is the program's number. Often, as is the case with Windows XP, Version is CurrentVersion. HKCR to the key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes. • SYSTEM. Contains control sets, one of which is current. The remaining sets are for use by Windows XP. Each subkey is a control set named ControlSetnnn, where incremental number beginning with 001. The operating system maintains at least sets to ensure that it can always start properly. These sets contain device driver configurations. HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet is a link to ControlSetnnn, HKLM\SYSTEM\Select indicates which ControlSetnnn is in use. • HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT HKCR contains two types of settings. The first is file associations that associate different files with the programs that can open, print, and edit them. The second is class registrations Component Object Model (COM) objects. This root key is one of the most interesting in to customize, because it enables you to change a lot of the operating system's behavior. key is also the largest in the registry, accounting for the vast majority of the space that consumes. Before Windows 2000, HKCR was a link to the key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes, but this more complicated now. To derive HKCR, the operating system merges HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes, which contains default file associations and class registrations; HKCU\Software\Classes, which contains per-user file associations and class registrations. HKCU\Software\Classes is really a link to HKU\SID_Classes, which you learned about "HKEY_USERS" section. If the same value appears in both branches, the value \Software\Classes has higher precedence and wins over the value in HKLM\SOFTWARE This new merge algorithm has several benefits: Programs can register per-computer and per-user program file associations and classes. (One user can have file associations that other users who share the computer • 29 file without affecting each other. Because per-user file associations and class registrations are in the users' profiles, follow users from computer to computer when using roaming user profiles. • IT professionals can limit access to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes without preventing from changing HKCU\Software\Classes, allowing for greater security in the registry crippling users' ability to change associations. • Create a new key in the root of HKCR, and Windows XP actually creates it \SOFTWARE\Classes. Windows XP doesn't provide a user interface other than Registry add class registrations to HKCU\Software\Classes, because the intention is to allow programs register per-user program classes. When you edit an existing program class, the reflected in HKLM or HKCU, depending on where the program class already exists. If the class exists in both places, Windows XP updates only the version in HKCU. Note HKCR is significant enough that it gets its own appendix. Appendix A, "File Associations," describes this root key in detail. You learn how it associates file extensions with how Windows XP registers COM objects, and which subkeys are the most interesting customize. HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG HKCC is a link to configuration data for the current hardware profile, the key HKLM\ \CurrentcontrolSet\Hardware Profiles\Current. In turn, Current is a link to the \SYSTEM\CurrentcontrolSet\Hardware Profiles\nnnn, where nnnn is a incremental beginning with 0000. For more information, see Appendix C, "Per-Computer Settings." Registry Management Tools Hundreds of third-party and shareware registry tools are available. You learn about many throughout this book. Some tools I use more often than others, though, and here's an introduction them: Registry Editor. You learn about Registry Editor in Chaper 2, "Using Registry Editor." is the primary tool you use to edit settings in the registry. • Console Registry Tool for Windows (Reg.exe). This command-line registry tool most of the capabilities of Registry Editor. The significance of this tool is that it allows script edits in batch files. For more information about Reg.exe, see Chapter 9, Registry Changes." • WinDiff. This tool comes with the Windows XP Support Tools, which you \Support\Tools on the Windows XP CD. It's the best program I've found for comparing a useful technique for tracking down settings in the registry. For more information using this tool, see Chapter 8, "Finding Registry Changes." • Microsoft Word 2002. This application might not seem like a registry management I use Word when WinDiff isn't available to compare files so I can figure out where stores a setting in the registry. I also use Word to edit scripts so that I can take advantage its built-in version control and revision tracking features. • If you used the Windows 2000 Resource Kit tools, you'll notice the absence of tools Windows XP Resource Kit. The CD contains a copy of the kit's documentation and that's 30 Kit tools still work well in Windows XP, and you can download many of them from Microsoft's Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/default.asp. NoteIf you're looking for a particular type of tool that I don't discuss in this book, finding it is easy: Open the ZDNet Downloads site at http://downloads-zdnet.com.com in Internet Explorer, and then search for registry in the Windows category. The result is a list of hundreds of registry tools with a wide variety of special features, such as search and replace. Make sure that you download a program that works with Windows XP, though. Registry Hive Files In Registry Editor, you see the registry's logical structure. This is how Windows XP presents the registry to you and the programs that use it, regardless of how the operating system actually organizes it on disk, which is much more complicated. Physically, Windows XP organizes the registry in hives, each of which is in a binary file called a hive file. For each hive file, Windows XP creates additional supporting files that contain backup copies of each hive's data. These backups allow the operating system to repair the hive during the installation and boot processes if something goes terribly wrong. You find hives in only two root keys: HKLM and HKU. (All other root keys are links to keys within those two.) The hive and supporting files for all hives other than those in HKU are in %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\config. Hive files for HKU are in users' profile folders. Hive files don't have a file name extension but their supporting files do, as described in Table 1-5. Table 1-5: Hive File Name Extensions Extension Description None Hive file .alt Not used in Windows XP. In Windows 2000, System.alt is a backup copy of the System hive file .log Transaction log of changes to a hive .sav Copy of a hive file made at the end of the text-mode phase of the Windows XP setup program Note The Windows XP setup program has two phases: text-mode and graphics-mode. The setup program copies each hive file to a SAV file at the end of the text-mode phase so that it can recover if the graphics-mode phase fails. If graphics-mode phase does fail, the setup program repeats that phase after restoring the hive file from the SAV file. Hives in HKLM Table 1-6 shows the relationship between each registry hive and its hive file. Notice that the name of each hive is capitalized in the registry, which is sometimes a useful reminder while you're editing. What you should get out of this table is that each hive in the first column comes from the files in the second column. Thus, Windows XP loads the hive HKLM \SOFTWARE from the hive file Software, which is in %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\config. It loads the hive HKLM\SYSTEM from the hive file System, which is in the same location. To see the hive files that Windows XP has loaded, see HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet \Control\hivelist\. 31 Hive Hive, Supporting Files HKLM\SAM SAM, SAM.LOG HKLM\SECURITY SECURITY, SECURITY.LOG HKLM\SOFTWARE Software, Software.log, Software.sav HKLM\SYSTEM System, System.log, System.sav Did you notice that you don't find a hive file for HKLM\HARDWARE in Table 1-6? That's this hive is dynamic. Windows XP builds it each time the operating system boots, and save the hive as a hive file when it shuts down. NoteOther files in %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\config seem conspicuously out AppEvent.Evt, SecEvent.Evt, and SysEvent.Evt are Windows XP's event logs— Application, Security, and System, respectively. You can see in the registry where Windows eacheventlogbylookingatthesubke HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Eventlog. Userdiff is a file that Windows convert user profiles from earlier versions of Windows (notably versions of Microsoft NT) so that Windows XP can use them. The last out-of-place file is Netlogon. remains a mystery to me. Hives in HKU Each subkey in HKU is also a hive. For example, HKU\.DEFAULT is a hive, and its %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\config\default. The remaining subkeys come from two sources, though. The hive HKU\SID is in the hive file %USERPROFILE%\Ntuser.dat, while HKU\SID_Classes is in the hive file %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings \Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat. Each time a new user logs on to Windows XP, the operating system creates a new profile user using the default user profile. The profile contains a new Ntuser.dat hive file, which profile hive. You learn much more about user profiles and how to deploy them in Chapter "Deploying User Profiles." To see which profiles Windows XP has loaded, and the hive file that corresponds to each the key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList. This key one subkey for each profile that the operating system has ever loaded, past or present. subkey's name is the name of the hive in HKU, and the value ProfileImagePath contains the hive file, which is always Ntuser.dat. ProfileList does not mention the SID_Classes however; it contains only user profile hives. Note Windows 2000 limited the size of the registry, but Windows XP does not. This means operating system no longer limits the amount of space that the registry hives consume memory or on the hard disk. Microsoft made an architectural change to the way Windows maps the registry into memory, eliminating the need for the size limit you might struggled with in Windows 2000. 32 Overview Registry Editor is the tool you use to edit the registry directly. You change the registry you log on to the computer, but you do it indirectly through Control Panel or the Run which updates the registry's list of programs that you've run recently. With Registry affect settings without the help of a user interface. That makes Registry Editor one of the system's most powerful and dangerous tools. On one hand, you can customize Microsoft XP in ways that aren't possible through the user interface. On the other hand, nothing the settings you change for sanity. Every version of Windows since 3.1 has had a registry editor. The editor in Microsoft Windows can search the registry and has a simple to use interface. Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 has editor that can't search and is more difficult to use than the editor in Windows 95, capabilities unique to a secure operating system, such as the ability to set permissions edit more advanced data types like REG_MULTI_SZ. Microsoft Windows 2000 provides editors, requiring you to switch back and forth to use each editor's unique abilities. Windows XP, you get the best of both editors in a single program (insert applause developers here). Registry Editor in Windows XP is the tool you learn about in this chapter. It's the basis for every set of instructions you see in this book. It is also the basis for many solutions Microsoft's Knowledge Base, the solutions that people post to UseNet, and so on. This contains more than just instructions for how to use the editor, though. You'll find useful information that come from my own experience using this program, such as how to search and how to quickly back up settings before changing them, which will hopefully experience with the single most powerful tool in Windows XP a great one. Running Regedit You won't find a shortcut to Registry Editor (Regedit) on the Start menu. You don't want shortcut to Regedit on the Start menu. Imagine what life as an IT professional or power supports friends and relatives would be like if Microsoft advertised this program to every XP user on the planet. That's one reason why you find so little documentation about Regedit or elsewhere. That's also why Windows XP provides policies that you can use to limit Regedit. IT professionals and power users have great need for Regedit, however—it's often way to fix a problem or customize certain settings. For example, I recently used a program changed critical settings while it was running, and then restored them when the program Unfortunately, the program crashed without restoring the settings and the only way I could back to their original values was to edit the registry. Sometimes, it's the only tool for the job. Note Regedit and Registry Editor are one and the same. Regedit.exe is the Registry Editor's program file and it is easier to type, say, and read, so I term Regedit for Registry Editor throughout the remainder of this book. Regedit is in %SYSTEMROOT%, C:\Windows on most computers. Click Start, Run, regedit to run Regedit. You don't have to type the path. If you want to start Regedit even drag Regedit.exe to your Quick Launch toolbar or to the Start button to add it to the top of menu. 33 message that says, "Registry Editing has been disabled by your administrator." Although probably not a good idea to prevent the setup program from installing Regedit.exe, you Regedit.exe file's permissions to prevent users from running it or better yet, use Restriction Policies to prevent users from running Regedit.exe, regardless of the file's or users' rights. I cover these topics in detail elsewhere in this book. Note For more information about Group Policy and Software Restriction Policies, Chapter 6, "Using Registry-Based Policies." To learn the best way to and registry permissions, see Chapter 7, "Managing Registry Security." NoteAdministrators shouldn't rely on any of these methods to secure the registry These simple barriers don't stop determined users from gaining access to the registry. instance, dogged users can download shareware registry editors, most of which the Disable registry editing tools policy. Shareware registry editors also circumvent Restriction Policies and permissions that you apply to Regedit.exe. In reality, users will always find a way to hack away at the registry, so part of the solution corporate IT policy that you clearly communicate to users. Exploring Regedit With all its power, Regedit is still a simple program with a straightforward user interface. menus are simple. It has a status bar that displays the name of the current key. Its window two panes, split by a divider that you can drag left or right to change the size of both panes. left is the key pane; on the right is the value pane. The key pane displays the registry's subkeys, analogous to folders and subfolders. This is the registry's hierarchy. The displays the settings that each key contains. Click a key in the key pane, and you see values in the value pane. This is so similar to Windows Explorer that I'll stretch to say know how to use one, you know how to use the other. Figure 2-1 is a snapshot of Regedit. Figure 2-1: Regedit is much easier to use when you maximize its window, which helps you the full names of subkeys and each value's data in its entirety. Regedit saves its settings every time you close it. The next time you start Regedit, the 34 forget these settings, though, particularly if you're writing a book about the registry and are doing screen captures. Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes," shows you how to do just that. You createascriptthatautomaticallyremovesthekey HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Registry. You can't just remove this key using Regedit, though, because Regedit creates this key each time you close it and will use the current settings to do so. The following sections describe each pane in more detail, including special tips for working on each side of Regedit's window. Regedit Got Better Regedit in Windows XP makes several improvements over the version in Windows 2000: Access the features of both Regedit and Regedt32 (the second registry editor in Windows 2000) in a single editor. You no longer have to flip back and forth between both registry editors to complete most tasks. • Search for keys, values, and data faster. • Add the keys you use most frequently to the Favorites menu and then pop back to them just by clicking their friendly names on the menu. • Return to the last key that you selected the next time you run Regedit. • Export any portion of the registry to a text file that's much easier to read than anything earlier versions of either registry editor provided. • Additionally, Windows XP makes substantial improvements to the registry itself. Windows XP supports much larger registries than earlier versions of Windows; it's now limited only by the amount of disk space available. Second, the registry is faster in Windows XP than in earlier versions of Windows. Windows XP keeps related keys and values closer together in the database, preventing page faults that degenerate into disk swapping. Last, Windows XP reduces fragmentation by allocating space for large values in 16-KB chunks. All in all, the registry in Windows XP is significantly faster to query than it was in Windows 2000. Key Pane The key pane displays the registry's hierarchy. It is organized much like an outline, with each key's child keys, or subkeys, indented immediately below it. At the top, you see My Computer, which represents the local computer. When you connect to another computer's registry over the network, you see that computer's name at the top level of the key pane, too. Immediately under My Computer, you see each of the local registry's root keys. Following each root key are its subkeys. The term branch refers to a key and all its subkeys. Click the plus sign (+) next to a key to expand that branch. Click the minus sign (-) next to a key to collapse that branch. Click any key to see its values in the value pane. You can use the mouse pointer to explore the registry, but using the keyboard is much more efficient when you know the keyboard shortcuts that are available. Table 2-1 describes the keyboard shortcuts that you can use. Of all the shortcuts available, the keys I use the most are Right Arrow and Left Arrow. These are quick ways to move around the registry while expanding and collapsing entire branches at the same time. The other shortcut I find most helpful is Ctrl+F, which quickly opens the Find dialog box. 35 Key Description Searching Ctrl+F Opens the Find dialog box F3 Repeats the last search Browsing Keypad + Expands the selected branch Keypad - Collapses the selected branch Keypad * Expands all the selected branch's subkeys Up Arrow Selects the previous key Down Arrow Selects the next key Left Arrow Collapses the selected branch if it's not collapsed; otherwise, selects the parent key Right Arrow Expands the selected branch if it's not already expanded; otherwise, selects the key's first subkey Home Selects My Computer End Selects the last key that's visible in the key pane Page Up Moves up one page in the key pane Page Down Moves down one page in the key pane Tab Moves between the key and value panes F6 Moves between the key and value panes Other Delete Deletes the select branch or value F1 Opens Regedit's Help F2 Renames the selected key or value F5 Refreshes the key and value panes F10 Opens Regedit's menu bar Shift+F10 Opens the shortcut menu for the selected key or value Alt+F4 Closes Regedit As you learned in Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics," Windows XP stores different parts of the registry in different hive files. Regedit displays all the hive files together to show a single, unified registry, though. In Regedit, you can see when a branch is its own hive because its name is capitalized. For example, all the subkeys under HKLM are hives, so their names are capitalized. You find each subkey's hive file in %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\config. Notice in Figure 2-1 that all the subkeys under HKU are capitalized, because they are also hives. You find most of those hive files in %USERPROFILE%\Ntuser.dat. When you change a value in Regedit, Windows XP updates the appropriate hive file. While you're editing, you don't really care to which hive file a particular setting belongs, though. Refer back to Chapter 1 if you need a refresher on how Windows XP stores the registry on disk. Value Pane The value pane displays the selected key's values. In this pane, you see three columns: Name, Type, and Data. You can change the size of each column by dragging the dividers left or right. I typically use about half the pane to display the Name and Type columns and the remainder of the 36 values, see Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics." The Name column contains the value's name. Next to the name, you see one of the icons 2-2 that indicates the value's type: string or binary. The Type column indicates the type that value. Unlike earlier versions of Regedit, Windows XP's Regedit properly displays different data types that Windows XP supports in the registry, and you can edit them. That not only REG_SZ, REG_DWORD, and REG_BINARY, but also REG_EXPAND_ REG_MULTI_SZ, and so on. The Data column displays the value's contents. You'll easily REG_DWORD and REG_SZ values in this column, but REG_BINARY and other types of much more difficult to view in their entirety. To get a better glimpse of binary values, Display Binary Data. Table 2-2: Binary and String Icons Icon Description Binary values, including REG_DWORD and REG_BINARY String values, including REG_SZ and REG_MULTI_SZ Searching for Data You're going to spend a lot of time searching the registry. I promise. This is particularly true an IT professional responsible for helping users, deploying Windows XP, and so on. This true if you're a power user trying to figure out why a program is doing something that particularly like. For instance, you might want to figure out why a program runs every time Windows XP. If you don't already know about the Run key, you'd have to search the registry program's file name. I spend a lot of time locating programs' settings in the registry and searching for their names and file names. You can search key names, value names, and string data. You can also search for partial (searching for Windows matches both C:\Windows and Windows XP) or require full matches. first hit can take a long while to show up, so be patient. It takes even longer if you're remote computer's registry. After Regedit finds a hit, it selects the key or value it found. searches to the end of the registry without a match, it displays a message that says, searching through the registry." Here's how to search using Registry Editor: On the Edit menu, click Find. 1. In the Find dialog box, shown in Figure 2-2, type the text you want to find in the box. 2. 37 To find keys whose name contains the text, select the Keys check box. To find values name contains the text, select the Values check box. To find REG_SZ values contains the text, select the Data check box. 3. Click Find Next. 4. Press F3 to repeat your search if necessary. 5. You can significantly cut down the time it takes to search the registry by narrowing the keys, values, or data. For example, if you know that you want to search only for values certain characters in their names, limit your search to value names. If you know searching for data, limit your search to value data. In the Find dialog box, shown in Figure the Keys, Values, or Data check boxes to prevent Regedit from searching those areas. the Match Whole String Only check box won't improve turnaround time, but it will reduce of hits you receive and, because you don't have to look at as many hits, make searching Select this check box only if you're 100 percent certain about the name or data for which searching; otherwise, you won't find it. Searching Incrementally Incremental searching makes finding subkeys and values in long lists much faster. It's when you're trying to find a subkey in HKCR, because searching takes too long and paging the long list is mind numbing. Here's how it works: Select the first item in a long list, and typing the item you want to find. Regedit selects the first item that matches what you've typed So if you click the first subkey under HKCR and then type wm, Regedit selects wmafile. (without delaying too long so as not to restart the incremental search) and Regedit WMDFile. You get the idea. Keep in mind that it won't find keys or values that are collapsed. incremental searching only finds keys that you can see by scrolling the key pane up or down. Searching in Binary Values Regedit can't search for REG_DWORD or binary values. It searches only for key names, names, or string values. This means that you can't use Regedit to find numeric REG_DWORD or REG_BINARY values, and you certainly can't find text that Windows XP REG_BINARY values, which is very common. The solution is straightforward, though. Export the branch that you want to search to (See "Exporting Settings," later in this chapter, to learn how to create a REG file.) Then REG file in Notepad, and search for the number or binary string you want to find. You have how Regedit formats values in REG files to find them, however. Chapter 9, "Scripting Changes," describes the format of REG files in detail. For now, you need to know what types of values look like in a REG file, which is what Table 2-3 describes. For example, to find the word Jerry in a REG_BINARY value, you'd convert its letters to their Unicode task that's easy if you know that a capital A has a hex value of 0x0041, a lowercase value of 0x0061, and the number 0 has a hex value of 0x0030. Thus, Jerry as a binary 4A 0x00 0x65 0x00 0x72 0x00 0x72 0x00 0x79 0x00. If you're not familiar with reverse byte and Unicode, see Chapter 1.) To find binary strings in a REG file that contain the word Jerry, for 4a,00,65,00,72,00,72,00,79. Table 2-3: REG File Data Formats Type In Regedit In REG files 38 REG_SZ Microsoft Windows XP "Microsoft Windows XP" REG_DWORD 0x00000009 dword:00000009 REG_BINARY 0XC2 0X00 0X02 0X9E 0X00 0X00 0X3D hex:c2,00,02,9e,00,00,3d Table 2-3 contains only REG_SZ, REG_DWORD, and REG_BINARY examples. That's Regedit uses a variation of REG_BINARY to represent all other value types. In a REG instance, a REG_MULTI_SZ looks like hex(7):4a,00,65,00,72,00,72,00,79,00,00,00. describes the format of every value type and what they look like in REG files. Bookmarking Favorite Keys Regedit, including the versions that come with Windows 2000 and Windows XP, adopts Microsoft Internet Explorer's most useful features: Favorites. This enables you to bookmark subkeys that you edit most frequently and return to them quickly. Clicking a subkey on the menu is certainly a better alternative to clicking your way through the key pane or, worse to remember where Windows XP stores the Run key in the registry. Adding a key to easy, and after you add it, you can click its name on the Favorites menu (Figure 2straight to that key. Figure 2-3: Bookmark your most-used keys to return to them quickly. To add a key to Favorites, click it, and then click Favorites, Add To Favorites. In Favorites dialog box, type a descriptive name for your shortcut. I typically name shortcuts root key and last couple of subkeys, such as HKCU\…\Windows\CurrentVersion, so I tell whether the shortcut is in HKCU or HKLM (they have similar structures). Using the like HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion, isn't practical, because it makes too wide. You might like to have some help getting your Favorites menu going. Thus, the following you what I typically put on mine: HKCR\CLSID • HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop • HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components • HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer • 39 HKCU\Software\Policies • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies • HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control • Removing a key from Favorites is also easy. On the Favorites menu, click Remove Favorite, and then click the keys you want to remove. If you want to rename keys in Favorites, you can edit the key HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Regedit\Favorites and rename shortcuts or change their targets. Tip Regedit displays keys in the order that you added them; it doesn't sort them alphabetically. If you really want this list to be in alphabetical order, export HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Regedit\Favorites to a REG file. Edit the REG file to sort the keys in alphabetical order, or any other order that you prefer, and then import the REG file back in to the registry after removing the Favorites key. The Favorites menu is resorted. Save this REG file, by the way, so you can use your favorites elsewhere. Using Better Techniques After a while, you'll know enough about the registry in Windows XP to make searching much faster. You'll know where to begin and end your searches so that you don't waste your time searching parts of the registry where you're not going to find what you want. Click a subkey near where you want to begin, and then search. As you repeat your search by pressing F3, keep an eye on the status bar and note the key that contains the current hit. After you've gone past the branch that you think should contain the value, quit searching. Here's an example of focusing a search. When you build a default user profile, which you learn about in Chapter 10, "Deploying User Profiles," you'll load the hive file you're building and check it for references to the current user profile folder, which you don't want to deploy to desktops throughout the organization. To narrow your search on that hive, you'll select the hive's first key in the registry and then search for the path, deciding along the way about what to do with any references to it that you find. After you're out of that hive, though, quit searching so that you don't waste your time and accidentally change values you don't intend to change. Other examples of focusing searches to find data faster are: Limiting your search to HKCR when you want to find values related to file associations. For that matter, do an incremental search to speed things up. • Looking only in the branches HKCU\Software and HKLM\SOFTWARE to find programs' settings. And if you know the names of the vendor and program, you can go straight to the key that contains its settings because you know that programs store their settings in HKCU and HKLM in the branch Software\Company\Program\Version. • Searching HKCU if you know you're searching for per-user settings, and search HKLM if you know you're searching for per-machine settings. • Searching the branch HKLM\System if you're after device driver and service settings. • Shareware Search Tools 40 candownloadevaluationversionsofthesetoolsatanysharew aresite.Try http://www.zdnet.com/downloads or http://www.tucows.com. Here are some of the most popular: Registry Crawler 4.0 from 4Developers at http://www.4developers.com • Registry Toolkit from Funduc Software at http://www.funduc.com • Resplendent Registrar from Resplendence Sp at http://www.resplendence.com • Registry Detective from PC Magazine at http://www.pcmagazine.com • Registry Crawler is my personal favorite but the other tools also get good results. Registry Crawler not only searches the registry faster than Regedit, but it has features that make the task easier. You can access it quickly from the system tray. It presents a list of matches that you see all at once, rather than bouncing around from hit to hit, and you can export the results to a REG file. It also enables you to search the registries of multiple computers at one time if you have access to them over a network. Its most powerful feature is its search-and-replace capability, however, which enables you to replace all instances of a value with another. Editing the Registry In Regedit, assuming that a key or value's permissions don't prevent it, you can add, delete, and rename keys and values. You can also change most values. As you'd suspect, there's more than one way to do just about anything in Regedit. You'll find three different ways to change a value: through the main menu, through the shortcut menu, or with a keyboard shortcut. Use whichever method is right for you, but I prefer keyboard shortcuts because I deplore touching the desktop rodent without a reason. You can edit any value by selecting it and pressing Enter. The following sections describe the features that Regedit provides for editing the registry. These are the basic steps that you'll rely on throughout this book. Changing Values I promise that 99.999 percent of the time (had to get the five 9s in there), when working with Regedit, you're going to double-click a value to change it. That's not going to stop me from telling you about other ways you can change a value, however. One way to change a value is to click Edit, Modify. Another way is to right-click the value and then click Modify on the shortcut menu. Regedit displays a different editor depending on the value's type. For example, Regedit opens the Edit String dialog box when you edit a REG_SZ value. It displays the Edit DWORD Value dialog box when you edit a REG_DWORD value. Unlike the version of Regedit that comes with Windows 2000, the version in Windows XP doesn't toss you into the Edit Binary Value dialog box for values such as REG_MULTI_SZ. This version has dialog boxes for almost all the value types that Windows XP supports. The following graphics show what the different editors look like, with a description of each. Use the Edit String dialog box to edit REG_SZ and REG_EXPAND_SZ values. Enclosing the value in quotes isn't necessary unless you intend to include the quotes in your value. You can copy values from this dialog box to the clipboard, which is a nifty way to get values into scripts and documents. 41 Use the Edit DWORD Value dialog box to edit REG_DWORD values. By default, you're hexadecimal value, but you won't include any prefixes such as 0x in the value; you just hexadecimal digits. You can edit the value as a decimal number by selecting the Decimal Note that Regedit displays REG_DWORD values in the Value Data box using both notations. Use the Edit Binary Value dialog box to edit REG_BINARY values. The first column of this dialog box is the offset, starting from zero. The second column of numbers contains string in hexadecimal notation. The last column shows the text representation of the binary You can edit either the second or third columns. You can type hexadecimal digits or plain 42 Use the Edit Multi-String dialog box to edit REG_MULTI_SZ values. Each string is on with no blank lines. To change a value, click Edit, Modify, and then type the value's new data in the Value When you change a value using Regedit, the editor immediately applies that change to but that doesn't mean Windows XP or other programs have noticed the change. In fact, go unnoticed until the program or operating system has a reason to load or reload that the registry. For example, if you change the Windows Explorer settings in the registry, windows won't reflect those changes—you must close and reopen those windows. If you Microsoft Office XP, you must shut down and restart it before it'll recognize your changes. that Windows XP loads only when you log on to the operating system and per-user settings, as the location of shell folders like Favorites, require you to log off and back on to Windows 43 system loads those settings only as it starts. Chances are pretty good that you're going to mess up something. Unless you have access to a test lab, you're likely to experiment on your production computer (read production as essential). If things get out of hand, don't panic, and by all means, don't make things worse by restarting your computer over and over again or whacking away at the registry until there's nothing left. Instead, see Chapter 3, "Backing up the Registry" to learn how to easily recover your recent working configuration. Stupid Clipboard Tricks If you're writing scripts, documentation, deployment plans, and so on, you'll be typing a lot of key names and values. This is an error-prone and painful process, and it's one that you can do much easier using the clipboard. For instance, instead of trying to type a fully qualified key name, flipping back and forth between Regedit and your text editor, and trying to remember each subkey in the branch, just copy the key name to the clipboard and then paste it in to your document: In the key pane, right-click a key, and then click Copy Key Name. You can copy value names and data to the clipboard, too. Value names don't tend to be long, but using the clipboard is the only way to ensure you have the value's data correct. In the value pane, right-click the value whose name you want to copy to the clipboard, and click Rename. Press Ctrl+C to copy the name to the clipboard, and then press Esc so that you don't accidentally change the name. If you prefer a less risky way to copy a value's name, edit the value, select the value's name, and then press Ctrl+C to copy it to the clipboard. Copying a value's data to the clipboard is useful and easy: Edit the value, select the value's data, and then press Ctrl+C to copy it to the clipboard. This is a great way to back up data before changing it. Before changing a value, copy its data to the clipboard, create a new value of the same type, and paste the data on the clipboard into it. For example, if I wanted to change a REG_SZ value called Stubpath, I'd copy its data to the clipboard and then paste that data into a new REG_SZ value called StubpathBackup. Then, if the change doesn't work out, I could restore the original value and repair the problem that I created with my willy-nilly edits. Adding Keys or Values The only reason you would create keys and values is if you were instructed to do so; that is, you know adding the value will have some effect. For example, Microsoft's Knowledge Base often instructs you to add a value that fixes a certain problem. Throughout this book, you learn about values you can add to the registry that customize Windows XP. Otherwise, adding a value that no program reads doesn't accomplish anything. If you're itching to add something to the registry, take a look at some of the tips in Chapter 4, "Hacking the Registry," or Chapter 15, "Working Around IT Problems." To create a new key, first click the key under which you want to create a subkey; click Edit, New, and Key; and then type a name for the new key. When you create a new key, Regedit names it New Key #N, where N is an incremental number beginning with 1, and then selects the name so you can change it. 44 In the Key pane, click the key in which you want to add a value. 1. On the Edit menu, click New, and then click the type of value you want to create: Value, Binary Value, DWORD Value, Multi-String Value, or Expandable String Value. 2. Type a name for the new value. 3. Regedit names the new value New Value #N and then selects it so you can type a Windows XP requires all names contained in a key to be unique. No two subkeys can same name and no two values can have the same name. That's why Regedit names New Value #1, New Value #2, and so on. The default data for binary values is null, whatsoever. The default value for strings is the empty string. The default value for REG_ values is 0. After you create a new value, you edit it to change its value from the default. Deleting Keys or Values Click the key or value that you want to delete, and then click Edit, Delete. I don't delete often, but there are a few circumstances that recur. The first is when I want to reset a settings. For example, to reset Regedit's view settings, you must remove the value that them. You can wipe out most programs' settings by wiping them out of the registry. You know where to look: the branch Software\Company\Program\Version, under HKCU Although this works well for programs that re-create missing settings, it doesn't work for that fall over dead when their settings are missing. Another circumstance is when I want to tidy up the registry a bit. Often, the registry references to files that don't exist (orphans) or settings that just shouldn't be in the registry particularly after removing a program. With a little thought and a little luck, you can settings out of the registry. Chapter 3, "Backing up the Registry," is a helpful resource scenario. Tip There's a better, safer way to remove keys and values than just paving over can rename settings you want to remove, which hides them from any looking for them. Just add your initials to the beginning of the key or value's example, I can hide a value called Session by renaming it JH-Session. something goes terribly wrong, (and it happens from time to time when digging in the registry), I can remove the current version of Session and give the old original name. Renaming Keys or Values In Regedit, you can't click a selected file to rename it like you can in Windows Explorer. click the key or value that you want to rename, and then click Rename on the Edit menu. also click the key or value you want to rename, and then press F2. In the previous section, "Deleting Keys and Values," you learned that one of the main rename keys and values is to hide them from Windows XP and other programs permanently deleting them. Then, only after I'm happy with the result, I permanently item. Sometimes I don't even bother to do that, as renamed keys serve as good documentation the changes I make in the registry. To rename a key or value, select the key, click Edit, and type a new name. 45 Regedit has a feature that prints all or part of the registry. I confess that I've never printed in the registry; I just haven't found a good reason to do it. You can certainly print subkeys backup before making changes, but I tend to use hive files for that purpose, which doesn't me to retype keys, values, and data to restore the old settings. You might not get much this feature, but this chapter wouldn't be complete without describing how to use it. To part of the registry, follow these steps: Click the key you want to print, keeping in mind that you're going to print every value under it. 1. On the File menu, click Print to display the Print dialog box, shown in Figure 2-4. Figure 2-4: The format of Regedit's printer output is the same as the format that uses when exporting portions of the registry to a text file. 2. Do one of the following: To print the entire registry, click All. → To print the selected branch, click Selected Branch. → 3. Click Print. 4. The following listing shows you what Regedit's printer output looks like. As you see, useful except maybe as a temporary way to remember values. Still, Microsoft greatly Regedit's printer output for Windows XP. Regedit now prints REG_DWORD values so they REG_DWORD values, rather than printing them as binary values in little-endian format Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics"). It also prints binary values along with their ASCIIequivalent Last, this version of Regedit actually prints each value's type rather than relying on you 46 Listing 2-1: Sample Printer Output Key Name: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup Class Name: <NO CLASS> Last Write Time: 1/2/2002 - 1:16 AM Value 0 Name: SetupType Type: REG_DWORD Data: 0x0 Value 1 Name: SystemSetupInProgress Type: REG_DWORD Data: 0x0 Value 2 Name: CmdLine Type: REG_SZ Data: Value 3 Name: SystemPrefix Type: REG_BINARY Data: 00000000 cd 03 00 00 00 80 3c d2 - Í.....<Ò Value 4 Name: SystemPartition Type: REG_SZ Data: \Device\HarddiskVolume1 Value 5 Name: OsLoaderPath Type: REG_SZ Data: \ Exporting Settings to Files Exporting all or part of the registry is one of those things IT professionals and power users do often. By exporting, I mean copying portions of the registry to another file, typically a REG file but hive files are more useful. This is a great way to back up settings so you can easily restore them later, if necessary. It's also a good way to share settings with other users or computers. I often create REG files for settings I prefer so that I can change those settings simply by importing a REG file rather than clicking my way through the Windows XP user interface—one double-click replaces a hundred clicks. In the IT world, exporting settings to REG files has practical purposes, too. First is deployment. REG files are the simplest and often the only way to deploy some settings with Windows XP. You can deploy REG files through your Windows XP answer file, for example, as you will learn in Chapter 12, "Deploying with Answer Files." It's also a convenient way to deploy settings from an intranet or helpdesk. Last, REG files are an easy way to add settings to your Office XP deployment. You can do this through the Office XP Resource Kit's Custom Installation Wizard. Chapter 14, "Deploying Office XP Settings," describes how to add REG files to Office XP's installation. Regedit exports settings to four different types of files: registration, Win9x/NT4 registration, hive files, and text files. The differences between the four are significant, and you learn about them later in this chapter. Follow these steps to export branches of the registry to files: 47 2-5. Figure 2-5: Make sure you choose which file format you want to use, regardless of the file extension you type in the File Name box. In the File Name box, enter a name for the file you're creating. 3. Select the option for the export range you want: To back up the entire registry, select the All option. → To back up the selected branch, select the Selected Branch option. → 4. In the Save As Type list, click the type of file you want to create: Registration Files (*.reg), Registry Hive Files (*.*), Text Files (*.txt), or Win9x/NT4 Registration Files (*.reg). 5. Click Save. 6. Importing a file into the registry is similar to opening a file. Click File, Import; in the Files Of Type list, click the type of file that you're importing; then, in the File Name box, type the path and name of the file you're importing. The following sections describe each of the file types that you see in the Save As Type and Files Of Type lists. Each type is a different file format and thus suited to different purposes than the other types. Registration Files Registration files are version 5 REG files—plain text files that look similar to INI flies. Each section name represents a key, and each item in a section represents a value. The following listing is a sample of a version 5 REG file: Listing 2-2: Sample Version 5 REG File Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Sample] "String"="Jerry Honeycutt" "Binary"=hex:01,02,03,04,05,06,07,08 48 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Sample\Subkey] The most important thing to know about version 5 REG files is that they are Unicode, and some programs can't handle Unicode REG files properly. And because these files are Unicode, each character in REG_EXPAND_SZ and REG_MULTI_SZ values is two bytes wide. In the listing just shown, you'll notice this in the values called Expandable String and MultiString. For example, the letter A is 0x0041, not 0x41. For more information about Unicode-encoded text, see Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics." Windows 2000 and Windows XP are the only Microsoft operating systems that support version 5 REG files. In the previous section, you learned how to import REG files using Regedit. You can also double-click a REG file to merge it into the registry. Regedit will prompt to merge the settings that the file contains into the registry and, after you click Yes, it will tell you when it's finished. If you're deploying a REG file to users, however, you don't want them to see the message or answer the prompt, so you'll use Regedit's /s command-line option to run it quietly. For example: regedit settings.reg /s Use this command line from batch files, scripts, answer files, or even from the Office XP Resource Kit's Custom Installation Wizard. For more information about creating and deploying REG files, see the following chapters: Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes," describes the format of each value type in REG files and shows you how to build them manually. • Chapter 12, "Deploying with Answer Files," describes how to deploy REG files as part of your Windows XP answer file—a great way to deploy user settings. • Chapter 14, "Deploying Office XP Settings," describes how to deploy REG files as part of your Office XP customizations. • Caution Don't import a REG file that you create in one version of Windows into another version—at least not without thinking about it carefully. For example, exporting hardware settings from the Windows NT 4.0 registry and importing them into the Windows XP registry will likely wreak havoc with Windows XP. Some settings are fine to share across Windows versions, however, such as file associations in HKCR and some programs' settings. Use common sense. Win9x/NT4 Registration Files Win9x/NT4 registration files are version 4 REG files, which Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me, and Windows NT 4.0 support. The following sample is a version 4 ANSI REG file. The settings are the same as the version 5 Unicode REG file you saw in the previous section: Listing 2-3: Sample Version 4 REG File REGEDIT4 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Sample] "String"="Jerry Honeycutt" "Binary"=hex:01,02,03,04,05,06,07,08 "DWORD"=dword:00004377 49 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Sample\Subkey] Instead of Unicode text, version 4 files are ANSI text files. That means that each character is a single byte wide. The letter A is 0x41. You notice the difference between this and the earlier Unicode REG file in the Expandable String and MultiString values. Characters in REG_EXPAND_SZ and REG_MULTI_SZ values are single bytes, which is more natural for most folks. This is the file format that's compatible with programs expecting ANSI REG files, and it has the added benefit of being compatible with earlier versions of Regedit. Choosing Between REG and Hive Files Registry Editor exports branches to four different file formats. Each format has strengths and weaknesses that make it appropriate for some tasks and useless for others. This section should help you choose the right format each time. Exporting to hive files is my choice most of the time. The reason I like hive files so much is because they're much more accurate than either type of REG file. They are the same format as the Windows XP working hive files, so they represent settings exactly the same way. Also, when you import a hive file, Registry Editor deletes the branch it's replacing before importing the settings. In other words, the editor removes any settings that exist in the working registry but not in the hive file you're importing. When restoring keys from a backup after an unsuccessful registry edit, this is exactly the behavior you want. Hive files have one more strength that make them my choice most of the time: You can load them as new hives and view their contents without affecting other parts of the registry. Their only drawback is you can't view them in Notepad. Although hive files are my choice most of the time, there are a few scenarios that require me to use REG files. First is when I'm working with programs that don't understand hive files. For example, the Office XP Resource Kit's Custom Installation Wizard can read REG files but not hive files. Second is when I'm exporting settings to different versions of Windows. Windows 98 doesn't provide a way to load hive files. Last, and important in my view, is when I'm trying to track down a setting in the registry by comparing snapshots. Comparing two hive files isn't feasible, but comparing two REG files is easy using Microsoft Word 2002. Hive Files Hive files are binary files that contain portions of the registry. As you recall from Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics," Windows XP stores different parts of the registry in different hive files. Regedit displays all these hives together in one logical unit. Hive files are useful tools, though. You can export branches to hive files that can then be imported to another computer or by another user. They're great backups. Exported hive files have purposes similar to REG files. Hive files have most of the advantages of REG files, except that you can't view and edit them in a text editor. The advantage that hive files have over REG files is that you can load and edit them in Regedit without actually replacing your own settings. The section "Working with Hive Files," on the facing page, describes how to load hive files. 50 You can export keys to text files, but you can't import them back into the registry. If you're curious what an exported text file looks like, take a look at the sample printer output in the "Printing the Registry" section. They are one and the same. Regedit makes exported text files more readable than REG files, which can help you interpret settings better, but that's about the only use of text files. Working with Hive Files There are two scenarios in which working with hive files is an important part of an IT professional's job. The first is when creating a default user profile, which you learn how to do in Chapter 10, "Deploying User Profiles." The other is troubleshooting. You can take a hive file from a computer or user profile that's not working properly, repair it on another computer, and then replace it on the original computer. Loading a hive file is different from importing a hive file. When you import a hive file, which you learned how to do in the previous section, you actually replace settings in the registry. In other words, you load the hive file over existing settings. When you load a hive file, you create a whole new branch in the registry that doesn't overlap or replace any other branch. This enables you to edit the settings in a hive file without changing your own settings. Here's how to load a hive file in to the registry: In the key pane, click either HKU or HKLM. 1. On the File menu, click Load Hive. 2. In the File Name box, type the path and file name of the hive file you're loading, and then click Open. 3. In the Key Name box, shown in Figure 2-6, type the name you want to assign to the hive. Figure 2-6: Type a name that describes what the hive file contains. 4. The name you give to the key is arbitrary. Use any name that helps you identify the hive file that you're loading. All you're doing in this step is creating a root key in which to load the hive file. When you're finished editing settings in the hive file, you must unload it before doing anything else with it, such as copying it to a removable disk. That's because Windows XP locks the file until you unload it. Unloading a hive file is easy: Click the key into which you loaded the hive, which you specified in step 4, and then click Unload Hive on the File menu. If you get an error message when you try to copy the hive file or profile folder that contains a hive file, it's usually because you forgot to unload it from the registry. Command-Line Alternative 51 unlike earlier versions of Windows, which required you to get the tool from the resource kits. What's so great about a command-line registry editor? You can use it to script registry changes. For example, you can write a batch file that automatically backs up a portion of the registry. Imagine a batch file that extracts hardware information from a computer and dumps it on to a network share. That's a quick inventory system. Recently, I used Reg.exe to extract the GUID (see Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics") from every computer on a network so that I could configure them as managed computers in Active Directory. This was a huge timesaver. Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes," describes Console Registry Tool for Windows, otherwise known as Reg.exe, in great detail. If you want to learn more about it now, just type Reg.exe at the MS-DOS command prompt. Getting Beyond Basics This chapter described Regedit's essential features. These are the basics that you must know to perform routine tasks such as changing registry values. What you didn't learn in this chapter are some of the more advanced tasks that an IT professional or power user needs to truly master Windows XP. From this point forward, it's time to get past the basics and branch out in to other parts of this book. Learn more about Regedit in the following chapters: Chapter 3, "Backing Up the Registry," describes how to use Regedit as a troubleshooting tool. You also learn how to protect the registry. • Chapter 7, "Managing Registry Security," describes how to set subkeys' permissions using Regedit. You also learn how to secure remote registry editing to prevent users from gaining access to other users' registries. • Chapter 10, "Deploying User Profiles," shows you how to use Regedit to edit the settings in a user profile so you can deploy those settings to hundreds or even thousands of desktops throughout the organization. • 52 Overview Mistakes happen—whether due to your own silly errors or users' meddling with the registry they shouldn't. Nothing can happen that warrants large doses of anti-anxiety drugs, Ninety-nine times out of 100, the tools you learn about in this chapter can prevent or overcome registry error. Because I know how to use these tools, there's only been one time when computer so badly that I gave up and reinstalled Microsoft Windows XP. The sad part spending hours reinstalling the operating system and incumbent applications, I discovered fix for the problem. Most of these tools have a higher calling than just backing up and protecting the registry. features that push the reliability of Windows XP far beyond the levels of earlier Windows. System Restore ensures that you can roll back the configuration of Windows earlier snapshot, which the operating system makes automatically. Other features Windows XP more stable include Device Driver Rollback, Error Reporting, and Windows Protection. See http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/techinfo/planning/reliability "Reliability Improvements in Windows XP Professional" white paper. In this chapter, I show you many ways to restore a configuration, and you won't need Pick the one or two techniques that work for you and stick with them. In particular, decide the methods you're going to use to protect the registry while editing it. I prefer to save keys files before making changes to the registry, but you might prefer to make backup individual values. Also, you definitely want to know about System Restore and troublesome settings. The last part of this chapter describes the advanced troubleshooting which you turn to only when things are so fouled up that you have no other choice. Many of these tools require advance preparation. For example, to restore a backup registry, you must have made a backup. Likewise, to use Automated System Recovery, have created the disk. Thus, don't come to this chapter just when you have a problem. in preparation for problems that hopefully won't come. Editing the Registry Safely I must admit that I'm pretty bad about taking my own advice. It's easy to forget about values before making what seem to be simple changes. But how do you know that some change isn't going to be the one that sinks the ship? You don't—so you should do as I as I do: Back up values before changing or deleting them. There are easy and difficult this; I'm going to show you the easy ways. You'll learn three techniques in this section. The first is making backup copies of values, can quickly restore in the registry. Backups also document the changes you make. The exporting the part of the registry in which you're working to a REG file. I don't like this reasons that I'll explain later, but it has the advantage of being readable. The third method first choice when making significant changes) is to export branches to hive files. I prefer because it's the most accurate way to back up and restore parts of the registry. With any three methods, you'll cover most of the pitfalls in editing the registry. 53 only when Windows XP is so far gone that it no longer starts properly. In that case, you're Automated System Recovery and Recovery Console, which are the last tools you learn chapter. But first try starting Windows XP in Safe Mode and then running System Restore. TipDo you find yourself making the same changes over and over again? I tend to customize same settings every time I install Windows XP or every time I log on to a computer new user profile. You don't have to worry about backing up the values you're changing write a script to change them automatically. Test the script carefully so you can apply assurance that it works properly. Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes," shows write these scripts. Test them againevery time you change them. Copying Single Values The easiest way to leave a way out if things go wrong is to make backup copies of values changing them. Here's how to do it: Rename the original value to something like Initials_Name, where Initials initials, and Name is the value's original name. Add a date if you think you're going to value often. Then add a new value using the original name and type, but with Alternatively, create a new value of the same type as the value you're changing, but name. Copy the original value's data to the clipboard, and then paste it in to the new value. all set to change the value, and if you don't like the result, you can restore the original little effort. Figure 3-1 shows backup settings in the key HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop. Figure 3-1: Backing up values in the registry is like having a built-in revision tracking feature. Likewise, instead of deleting a value, which you can recover only by memory because Editor (Regedit) does not have an Undo feature, rename the value to hide it from any program looking for it. The effect is the same, and you can always restore the value by restoring Although you can't easily back up entire branches before changing settings in them, you entire branches to make it seem like they no longer exist. This is a safe way to remove settings from the registry in the hopes that the program re-creates them, for example. Undo feature. 54 easily readable. If you want just a quick snapshot of a value before you change it, take a screenshot instead: Press Alt+PrtSc, and then paste the screenshot into Paint. Print or save your screenshot for future reference. Backing Up to REG Files If you'd rather have a more tangible backup, one with which you can restore an entire branch, export that branch to a REG file. In Regedit, click the top-level key in the branch you're editing. Then on the File menu, click Export, type the name of the REG file to which you want to export the branch's settings, and then click Save. Your settings are tucked away safely, and you can edit that branch knowing that restoring the original values will be easy. Don't export the entire registry; back up only on the branch in which you're working. Exporting the entire registry takes so long that you likely won't make it a regular habit. Restoring your backup REG file is easy, too. On Regedit's File menu, click Import. Type the name of the REG file that contains your settings, and then click Open. You can also double-click the file to import it. I mentioned earlier that I don't like using REG files to back up settings, and here's why: When you import a REG file, Regedit merges its settings into the registry rather than replacing them. That means Regedit replaces or creates any value that the REG file contains, but values that the REG file doesn't contain aren't removed from the registry. This creates a problem if you add values to the registry while editing it because importing the REG file doesn't get rid of them. See Table 3-1 for a summary of the merge process. Table 3-1: Merging REG Files Value Exists in REG File? Value Exists in Registry? Action No No None No Yes None—Regedit doesn't remove or change the value in the registry Yes No Regedit adds the value Yes Yes Regedit changes the value Note Most of the techniques you'll learn about in this chapter work remotely, too. You can back up and restore keys for other users. If you have a computer that fails while logging on to Windows XP, you can access the computer over the network and restore that computer's settings using Regedit. On the File menu, click Connect Network Registry, and type the name of the computer containing the registry you want to open. Not only can you edit the remote computer's registry, but you can also export hive files from and import hive files into it. Backing Up to Hive Files Hive files are a better than REG files for backing up the registry. When you import a hive file containing a key, Regedit completely replaces the current key and all of its subkeys with the contents of the hive file. That means that Regedit removes any value you added since backing up the registry to a hive file. This is a far more accurate way to back up branches before editing them. 55 the name of the new hive file, and then click Save. Reverse the process to restore your Click File, Import; then click Registry Hive Files in the Save As Type list, type the name file to which you backed up your settings, and then click Open. You can use any file extension like, but I prefer to give hive files the .dat extension. The .hiv extension is also common for Don't confuse what you just learned about exporting and importing hive files with loading unloading them. When you import a hive file, you're making changes to working parts of When you load a hive file, you're creating a whole new branch that Windows XP doesn't doesn't read or change those settings, but they're visible in Regedit, so you can examine Unloading the hive file just unlinks the file from the registry. You can unload only hive manually loaded and not hive files Windows XP loaded. Whereas importing a hive file is a great way to restore an entire branch, loading a hive file method to restore settings surgically or just to check an original value. First load the registry: Click either HKLM or HKU in Regedit; on the File menu, click Load, type the hive file that contains your settings, and then click Open. Regedit prompts you for a key you can type any arbitrary name that'll help you identify the hive. You'll then see that hive the root key into which you loaded it. Figure 3-2 on the next page is an example of loading file that contains a backup copy of the key HKU \Control Panel\Desktop. Examine the setting hive file you loaded, or even copy the backup setting and then paste it over the current forget to unload the hive, or else you won't be able to remove the file later. 56 Now that I hopefully have you sold on using hive files to back up settings before changing them, I'm going to introduce you to the ultimate way to back up registry settings: Console Registry Tool for Windows (Reg.exe). This command-line tool comes with Windows XP and provides most of Regedit's features plus some. You learn its full use in Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes." You can use it to save keys to hive files. You can also use it to restore, load, and unload hive files. With Reg.exe, saving a hive file is the same as exporting, and restoring a hive file is the same as importing. The best part is one of the tool's unique features: the ability to copy one key to another key, creating a quick backup copy of a key right there in the registry. So for example, I can copy HKCU\Control Panel \Desktop\ to HKCU\Control Panel\JH_Backup\ with a single command. Table 3-2 on the next page describes the Reg.exe command lines for each of these features. See Chapter 9 for a full explanation of all the different options. Table 3-2: Backing Up the Registry with Reg.exe Command Line Description REG SAVE keyname filename Save the branch starting with the key keyname to the hive file called filename. Keyname begins with one of the root key abbreviations, HKCR, HKLM, HKCU, HKU, or HKCC. REG RESTORE keyname filename Restore the hive file filename to the key keyname, replacing all of its contents. Keyname begins with one of the root key abbreviations, HKCR, HKLM, HKCU, HKU, or HKCC. REG LOAD keyname filename Load the hive file filename to a new temporary branch beginning with the key keyname. Keyname begins with one of the root key abbreviations, HKCR, HKLM, HKCU, HKU, or HKCC. REG UNLOAD keyname Unload the hive file in the temporary branch beginning with the key keyname. Keyname begins with one of the root key abbreviations, HKCR, HKLM, HKCU, HKU, or HKCC. REG COPY keyname1 keyname2 [/s] Copy the values in the key keyname1 to the key keyname2, creating it if it doesn't already exist. Keyname1 and keyname2 begin with one of the root key abbreviations, HKCR, HKLM, HKCU, HKU, or HKCC. The option /s copies the entire branch, not just the values in keyname1. Fixing Corrupt Settings Even if you've followed my advice to this point, you're going to run into problems. Sometimes a simple change to the registry has ripple effects that restoring a backup copy of a value won't fix. Windows XP and most applications are incredibly resilient, though, so fixing a problem is a simple matter of telling it to heal thyself. The quickest route is to remove the offending value and allow the program to re-create it using a default. Windows XP and most programs re-create missing settings, which is what makes this work in most cases. This is tantamount to uninstalling and reinstalling an application. The difficult part is figuring out which value contains the troublesome setting. Chapter 8, "Finding Registry Values," helps you track down settings. For example, if your mouse pointer bounces around the screen in convulsive fits, remove the key HKCU\Control Panel\Mouse. When you log off and back on to Windows XP, the mouse settings are re-created. The operating system won't re-create everything you delete, though, particularly file associations in HKCR. So back up any setting you delete before you try this troubleshooting technique. 57 Managing Settings to Avoid Problems IT professionals dodge most problems with settings by managing them properly. The first and most important practice is not to dump users into the local Administrators group. I understand the reasons you might do this, such as legacy applications that won't otherwise run properly, or users who can't change settings because their accounts are in the local Power Users or local Users groups. You can successfully deal with all these issues using tools such as Security Templates, which you learn about in Chapter 7, "Managing Registry Security." It's not difficult, and moving users from the local Administrators group to the Power Users or Users group can save professionals a lot of frustration, and save their companies serious loot. Policies are another good way to manage settings. Policies accomplish two goals: first they configure settings for the user, if for example, he or she doesn't know the appropriate values. Policies also configure settings according to IT policy, and users can't change them. Moving users out of the local Administrators group saves your company money by reducing lost downtime and deviations from corporate standards, but policies actually help you recover money from your IT investment. Chapter 6, "Using Registry-Based Policy," describes exactly how policies benefit IT and how to use them. In the Windows XP registry, you can also set keys' permissions to prevent users from changing those settings. This might sound like a great idea, but micro-managing settings is so cumbersome that it is almost impossible to maintain. If you need to manage a key's Access Control List (ACL), use Security Templates instead. Security Templates are much easier to deploy and maintain across the board, and you learn how to use them in Chapter 7. For those settings that Windows XP or other programs don't re-create, you have other options. If you used Files And Settings Wizard to transfer your settings from an earlier version of Windows to Windows XP, you can reapply your old settings to your current configuration. IT professionals use the User State Migration Tool for the same purpose. Of course, there must be copies of the original user state data for this to be possible. Chapter 10, "Deploying User Profiles," describes this tool. Other options for repairing settings are described later in this chapter. Allowing Windows XP to Fix Errors Perhaps you can't find a setting in the registry, or removing that setting from the registry doesn't fix the problem. In that case, head for Control Panel. You can fix many per-user settings and a few per-computer settings in it. That includes the configuration of all your input and output devices, particularly the pointing device, keyboard, display, and printer. It also includes accessibility and regional options. When a device just doesn't work, your best bet is often to remove and redetect the device. In my experience, this fixes a vast number of problems. You remove a device using Device Manager, restart the computer, and then have Windows XP redetect it. If the operating system doesn't redetect the device, use Add Hardware Wizard to detect it. You start Add Hardware Wizard on the Hardware tab of the System Properties dialog box. Removing a device directly from the registry isn't a good idea because Windows XP scatters devices' settings, and the linkages are difficult to remove accurately. Follow these instructions to reinstall a device: Open Device Manager. 1. 58 Click the device you want to remove, and then click Uninstall on the Action menu. TipSysprep is used to prepare a disk containing Windows XP for duplication deployment; it can also used to set things straight when your configuration out of whack. When you restart a computer after running Sysprep, Mini-Setup configures the computer for use. It detects the computer's hardware, configures network connections, and optionally joins the computer to a business network. 13, "Cloning Disks with Sysprep," describes Sysprep in more detail. To use repair a broken configuration and redetect your computer's hardware, run -activated -pnp -quiet -reseal. If you want to fully automate Mini-Setup Wizard, the file Sysprep.inf you learn about in Chapter 13. This is a radical step—you'll local Administrator user profile and a good number of per-computer settings might give your configuration the refresh that it needs. 2. Repairing an Application's Settings Predictability is a good thing when it comes to program settings. And most programs settings in the registry using the same organization. Per-user settings HKCU\Software\Company\Program\Version\, and per-computer settings are in the same HKLM. Company is the name of application's publisher, Program is the name of the application, Version is an optional version number. Some omit the version number, which isn't strictly rules but common nonetheless. Figure 3-3 shows where the TechSmith product SnagIt stores its settings. (This happens to be the killer program I use to capture screenshots.) 59 Figure 3-3: TechSmith SnagIt is the best screen capture tool, and it works well with Windows Well-designed applications re-create settings that they're missing. To reset the program's settings, remove HKCU\Software\Company\Program\. You typically don't want to program's per-computer settings because doing so is likely to adversely affect most applications. You can hide the program's per-computer settings to test the scenario first, just to be side. Windows Installer-based applications are easier to reset because Windows Installer functionality built right into it. Microsoft Office XP is an example of a Windows Installerapplication. To learn more about Windows Installer-based applications, see Chapter 11, Windows Installer." For now, I will describe the three different ways you can have Windows restore an application's original settings: On the application's Help menu, click Detect And Repair. • Click Start, Control Panel, and then click Add Or Remove Programs. Click the you want to repair, and then click Change. Follow the instructions you see on the repair the application. • In the Run dialog box, type msiexec /f[u][m] package, where package is the path name of the application's package file, which has the .msi file extension. Use per-user settings and /fmto repair per-computer settings. IT professionals command because it's the best way to repair settings without visiting the user's desk. • The last repair method for Windows Installer-based applications, particularly for Office XP, Wizard. Chapter 14, "Deploying Office XP Settings," describes how to use this tool settings with Office XP. Basically, you install and configure Office XP on a sample 60 a help desk tool. After users' 15 minutes of phone time is up (we both know there's a long you want calls to last), and before you throw new disk images at their computers, OPS file to restore their settings. The command that you're running on their computers is filename /q, where filename is the name of the OPS file that contains Office XP per-user Removing Programs from the Registry As I said earlier, predictability makes troubleshooting settings in the Windows XP registry It also makes removing programs' settings possible but not a breeze. Some programs don't correctly, and you're left with no choice but to manually remove their settings from the registry. example, if an uninstall program doesn't finish properly, it might fail to remove the entry of programs in Add Or Remove Programs or orphan a file association, causing you to see message about Windows XP not finding a program when you double-click a file. You can invest in a third-party tool to look for and remove the program's settings, or you manually. Even though it's somewhat difficult, you can remove most programs' successfully. Doing so is more art than science, but here are the general steps involved process: List the EXE and DLL files in the application's folder. You install most programs in %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Program Files\Program, where the name of the program. List the EXE and DLL files in that folder and all of its subfolders. 1. Remove keys and values that contain the application's installation folder. Search the registry for each of the application's folders and subfolders. For example, application installed in C:\Program Files\Example has two subfolders, \Binary \Templates, search the registry for C:\Program Files\Example, C:\Program \Example\Binary, and C:\Program Files\Example\Templates. Choose the keys you remove carefully to avoid interfering with other programs that might require settings. 2. Remove keys and values that contain the program's name. Search the registry for different versions of the program's name. For example, application is Jerry's House of Horrors, search for Jerry's, Jerry's House, and Horrors. Use any combinations you think you'll find in the registry. Choose the values you remove carefully so that you don't break other applications that might those settings. 3. Remove keys and values that contain the EXE and DLL files you recorded. You recorded a list of EXE and DLL files in step 1. Search the registry for each program files. Search for the complete file name, including the extension, and key or value only if the path matches the program's installation folder. Use caution with the other steps. 4. Removing Windows Installer-based applications manually is much more difficult because themselves into the registry much tighter than programs packaged using other technologies. Chapter 11, "Mapping Windows Installer," is your best shot at figuring out these settings, still shouldn't remove them manually. Instead, Chapter 11 describes a tool called Msizap. removes almost all traces of a program's Windows Installer data from the registry. This 61 similar; you also learn about it in Chapter 11. After using either tool, remove any remaining settings using the instructions you read earlier in this section. Msizap.exe Saves the Day Msizap.exe has saved my hind end on more than one occasion. In one case, I was upgrading a customer's deployment servers with the latest version of Symantec Ghost Corporate Edition. The plan was to upgrade to the latest version in place. Nothing ever goes as planned, eh? Ghost's Windows Installer data was corrupt on one particular server, and I was certain the customer wasn't going to believe me when I said, "I didn't do it." Because of the corrupt data, I couldn't upgrade to the newer version of Ghost. And my heart sank when I found out that I couldn't remove the earlier version, either. I was close to swapping the server, but I remembered Msizap.exe and thought to give it a try. Sure enough, Msizap.exe yanked enough of Ghost's Windows Installer data out of the registry that I was able to install the new version. I credit this handy utility with saving me a lot of work and a lot of explaining. You learn more about Msizap.exe in Chapter 11, "Mapping Windows Installer." Keep it nearby. Using Another Computer's Settings If all else fails and you're desperate to set things straight, you can borrow settings from another computer. The only time I recommend doing this is when the settings are simple and contained within a small key. For example, restoring a file association or a small program's settings from another computer is straightforward enough, but borrowing a device's settings from another computer just isn't a good idea. There's no reason to believe that Windows XP will store the exact same settings for the exact same device on two different computers. You can use either REG files or hive files for this technique. I prefer hive files because importing them completely replaces the key that they contain. First connect to the remote computer's registry and export the settings to a hive file. Regedit stores the hive file in a folder on your local computer so you don't have to copy it from the remote computer. Import the hive file to replace your old settings with the settings in the hive file. This is useful for IT professionals in a supporting role, too. You can borrow the key from one remote computer and then connect to another remote computer to restore the settings to the second computer's registry. For example, you can copy a file association from one remote computer to another remote computer—all without stepping down out of the ivory tower. Using System Restore System Restore returns your computer to a previous snapshot without losing recent personal information, such as documents, history lists, favorites, or e-mail. It monitors the computer and many applications for changes and creates restore points. I call these restore points snapshots, but they're really instructions for undoing recent changes. You restore these snapshots when your configuration isn't working. By default, Windows XP creates restore points daily and when significant events such as installing an application or device driver occur. System Restore is ideal for serious 62 System Restore creates different types of restore points: Initial system checkpoints. System Restore creates initial system checkpoints Windows XP starts the first time. Restoring to this point returns Windows XP and to their state immediately after installing Windows XP. • System checkpoints. System Restore creates restore points regularly, whether system changes. By default, it creates system checkpoints every 24 hours. If you computer off for more than 24 hours, System Restore will create a system checkpoint next time you start Windows XP. • Installation checkpoints. System Restore creates installation checkpoints when programs that use recent installer technologies, so you can restore the computer before installing the programs. To reverse the changes made by other programs, most recent checkpoint. • Automatic update checkpoints. System Restore creates a restore point before Windows XP using Automatic Update or Windows Update. • Manual checkpoints. System Restore or a script can be used to create your points; I'll show you how later in this chapter. Create manual checkpoints before significant changes to the registry. • Restore operation checkpoints. System Restore creates restore operation checkpoints each time you restore a checkpoint. You use restore operation checkpoints restoration if you don't like the results. • Unsigned device driver checkpoints. System Restore creates a restore point install an unsigned device driver. If installing the device driver interferes with your stability, you can restore the computer to its state before installing the device driver. • Backup utility recovery checkpoints. System Restore creates a restore point use Backup to perform a recovery. You can restore the computer if the recovery computer in a questionable state. Note You must still uninstall programs using Add Or Remove Programs, even if to a point prior to program installation. Removing the program and then restoring checkpoint is the best sequence. • System Restore requires at least 200 MB of available disk space. If 200 MB of space isn't Windows XP disables System Restore. By default, Windows XP allocates 12 percent disk's size (or 400 MB on hard disks that are smaller than 4 GB), and this happens to that Windows XP can give it. You can otherwise configure the amount of disk space Restore consumes, though. On the System Restore tab of the System Properties dialog the slider left or right to adjust the amount of disk space it uses. To open System Properties, Start, Control Panel, Performance And Maintenance, and then click System. However, don't the amount much because doing so limits the number of restore points that System Restore maintain at one time. Taking Configuration Snapshots Here's how to create a restore point using System Restore: Start System Restore one of the following ways: Click System Restore in Help and Support Center. → 1. 63 Select the Create A Restore Point option, and then click Next. 2. In the Restore Point Description box, type a descriptive name for the restore point, click Create. (System Restore adds the date and time to the name of the restore 3. To restore a checkpoint, follow these steps: Start System Restore using one of the three methods in the previous procedure. 1. Select the Restore My Computer To an Earlier Time option, and then click Next. 2. Select the restore point that you want to restore, and then click Next. System Restore maintains up to 90 days of restore points, given enough disk space, can move backward and forward in the calendar to see the restore points created day. In the calendar, shown in Figure 3-4, bold dates are those that contain restore Figure 3-4: Before continuing, make sure you save your documents and close any that are running. System Restore restarts your computer. 3. Click a date, and then click the restore point in the list. 4. Click Next again, and Windows XP restarts so it can restore your configuration to point you selected. 5. Sometimes, if your configuration is unstable enough, you won't be able to start Windows normally. That leaves you with Safe Mode, which you'll learn about in "Advanced Options later in this chapter. In Safe Mode, you can't create restore points, but you can restore have already been created. Thus, if Windows XP doesn't start normally, start it in restore to an earlier configuration, and then restart the computer. Peeking Under the Covers Many of the files and folders System Restore uses are super hidden, so you won't see you display system and hidden files. In Windows Explorer, click Tools, Options. On 64 %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\Restore. Aside from the program file rstrui.exe, you'll super-hidden file filelist.xml, which lists the files and settings that System Restore Double-click this file to view the XML in Internet Explorer. It excludes a few legacy configuration files, for example Win.ini, System.ini, Autoexec.bat, and Config.sys. It excludes a handful too, most of which aren't important to the operating system's stability. What's interesting file extensions that it includes. System Restore protects everything from EXE and DLL and VXD files. If a file matches one of the included file extensions and it's not in a filelist.xml excludes, System Restore monitors it. It also monitors the per-user hive files key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList. The actual restore points are in each volume's System Volume Information folder. This folder super hidden, so you'll need to select the Show Hidden Files And Folders option and then Hide Protected Operating System Files check box to see it. You'll have to add your name folder's ACL to open it. I don't recommend you do that on a production computer, however, you risk blowing the file system. If you have a lab computer, go for it; otherwise, I'll describe folder for you. System Volume Information contains a subfolder called _restoreGUID, where GUID computer's GUID (see Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics"). For example, my computer _restore{4545302B-EA51-4100-A7E2-C7A37551AA83}. Beneath that folder is one folder restore point called RPN, where N is an incremental number beginning with 1. RPN backup copies of changed and deleted files. In fact, I opened my latest restore point folder, a program file, and watched as System Restore added it to the restore point. It also backs that change so it can restore those. System Restore changes the file names, so you missing files or documents in there. This folder also contains a list of the changes that Restore must apply to the computer to restore the checkpoint. That includes instructions restoring backup files. The subfolder called \snapshot is in RPN. It contains backup copies of the registry's hive have access to System Volume Information, you can load these hive files in Regedit, examine or even recover settings from them. If you really need settings from these hive files, you're restoring them using System Restore. You can see System Volume Information in hopefully that will satisfy your curiosity enough to keep you out of it. The following is registry hive files you find in \snapshot: _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM • _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY • _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE • _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM • _REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT • _REGISTRY_USER_NTUSER_SID • _REGISTRY_USER_USRCLASS_SID • 65 Figure 3-5: System Restore backs up all the hive files so it can restore them if necessary. Managing System Restore Managing System Restore System Restore has sparse management options. You can change how much disk space which I've already covered, and you can even disable it altogether. There's only one good disable System Restore, and that's when you install Windows XP on sluggish computers. Restore consumes a small slice of your computer's resources as it monitors the file changes, and disabling it can recover those resources. To disable System Restore, Control Panel, Performance And Maintenance, and then click System to open the Properties dialog box. On the System Restore tab, select the Turn Off System Restore But unless the computer is painfully slow, leave System Restore alone. Two policies are available to IT professionals for managing System Restore. The first System Restore, which disables System Restore altogether. I know some administrators haven't embraced System Restore yet, and they're disabling it in their organizations. Their is the amount of disk space it uses and the small performance penalty for using negligible in my opinion. If you don't want users to be able to configure System Restore, Turn off Configurationpolicy, which locks the user interface so users can't change System configuration. Users can still create their own restore points, however. Both of these per-computer administrative settings (Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates) \System\System Restore. System Restore has a few other settings for which it doesn't provide a user interface These are mostly settings in the registry that control System Restore's schedule. You can own administrative template for these, however, which you learn about in Chapter Registry-Based Policy." Chapter 6 also shows you how to enable policies. Hacking System Restore HKLM\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore is the key where of System Restore's settings. Unless otherwise noted, all the settings in the following REG_DWORD values: CompressionBurst. This value specifies the idle time compression in seconds. amount of time to compress data after the computer becomes idle. System Restore compress data for the amount of time specified, and then it must stop until after • 66 Restore uses. System restore uses the greater of the two values. Thus, for smaller than 4 GB, System Restore uses 400 MB, which is the default value of hard disks larger than 4 GB, System Restore uses 12 percent, which is the default DiskPercent. DSMin. This value specifies the minimum amount of free disk space that System requires during the installation process. This value also specifies the minimum disk space that System Restore needs to reactivate and resume the creation points after Windows XP disabled it due to low disk space. • RestoreStatus. This value indicates whether the last restore operation failed succeeded (0x01), or was interrupted (0x02). • RPGlobalInterval. This value specifies the amount of time in seconds that System waits between creating system checkpoints. The default value is 24 hours, or 0x15180. • RPLifeInterval. This value specifies the time in seconds that System Restore keeps points before removing them from the computer. The default value is 0x76A700, • RPSessionInterval. This value specifies the amount of time in seconds that Restore waits before it creates the system checkpoints while the computer is turned default value is zero, disabling this feature. You can change this value to 0xE10 restore point every hour that the computer is in use. On a computer that you often, such as a lab computer, you might create a restore point every hour. • ThawInterval. This value specifies the amount of time in seconds that System Restore before it reactivates itself after adequate disk space becomes available. Start Restore user interface, and it reactivates immediately. • The remaining settings you find in SystemRestore aren't useful to customize and Microsoft no uncertain terms that you shouldn't change them. However, you can disable System setting DisableSR to 0x01, and doing so doesn't remove existing restore points like it you disable System Restore in the user interface. Editing the remaining settings can do to your computer's performance, so limit yourself to the settings I described in this section. Scripting System Restore You can script System Restore using Windows Scripting Host (WSH) and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes," describes in detail how registry edits. But perhaps you want write scripts specifically to automate System Restore. scripts are a handy way to get more control over the creation of restore points than settings in the previous section give you. Scripting System Restore relies on WMI and Srclient.dll, which is the System Restore The account in which you run these scripts must have administrative privileges, which them from being used by members of the Users or Power Users group. In Scheduled can schedule these scripts to run with elevated privileges, though. The following listing script that automatically creates a restore point. It creates a System Restore object using then creates a restore point by calling the method CreateRestorePoint(). The first parameter name of the restore point; you should use a descriptive name that begins with a verb, Installed or Changed. Set SRP = GetObject( "winmgmts:\\.\root\default:Systemrestore" ) CSRP = SRP.CreateRestorePoint( "Hacked the registry", 0, 100 ) In addition to creating restore points, you can restore checkpoints using scripts. You configure System Restore; enable and disable it; or iterate through the list of restore points 67 System Restore. Backing Up the Registry Regularly Backup Utility has come a long way since the original version that shipped with the earliest versions of Windows. Microsoft licenses Backup Utility from VERITAS Software Corporation (http://www.veritas.com), and it's a light edition of the company's Backup Exec. Users of the Microsoft Windows 2000 backup program are already familiar with this version. The user interfaces of the two versions are almost identical, and the steps to back up a computer are almost the same. Like the earlier version of this utility, you can back up to a file, tape, or other removable media. Enterprise users will likely have tape changers to automate a full backup schedule, including tape swapping. Windows XP makes a few significant enhancements. The first is shadow copy. A volume shadow copy is an exact point-in-time copy of the contents of a hard disk, including open files. Users can continue to access files on the hard disk while Backup Utility backs them up during a volume shadow copy. In this way, it correctly copies files that change during the backup process. Shadow copy ensures that programs can continue to write to files on the volume, open files aren't omitted from the backup, and backing up the system doesn't lock users out. Backing Up Using Symantec Ghost I'm a big fan of Symantec Ghost Corporate Edition, which you can learn more about at www.symantec.com. It's the tool I prefer for deploying Windows XP in big environments. It's also useful as a backup utility, and you can use the Personal Edition of Ghost to back up a single computer. The backup strategy for my home-office network uses both Ghost and Backup Utility. Backup Utility is better at protecting documents than it is at protecting entire configurations. To restore a computer from a backup tape, you first have to install Windows XP on the computer and honestly, it takes as much time to reinstall everything from scratch as it does to restore a good backup. That's why I prefer to protect my configurations using Ghost. After installing Windows XP and all of my applications on a computer, I create an image of the computer's disk on the server. I update that image any time I make a significant change to the computer, such as after installing new applications. If the computer fails, I can start the computer using a Ghost boot disk, restore the disk image, and I'm back up and running. The process takes less than 15 minutes whereas restoring the computer using Backup Utility can take a few hours. I protect important documents and other important files using Backup Utility. Documents, images, and so on change often enough to make using Ghost to protect those impractical. Thus, I schedule Backup Utility to run each day so that I can restore any of my documents if something goes wrong. I take this approach one step further by completely separating my configuration from my data. I use Folder Redirection to move users' My Documents folders from their local user profiles to a central location on the network. I back up all users' documents each time I back up their redirected folders on the server. For the most part, then, each computer's configuration is completely replaceable. I can restore its current disk image, log on to Windows XP, and I'm back where I was before the computer failed. 68 To open Backup Utility, click Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and then Backup. I have a preference for clicking the mouse as little as possible, so I just click Start, Run, and type ntbackup in the Run dialog box. Backup Utility has a robust set of commandline options you can use to script the backup process; you can learn more about those options in Backup Utility's Help. That's the hard way. The easy way is to schedule a job using Backup Utility, configure options in its user interface, and then copy the command line from Scheduled Tasks. Why spend an hour getting the command line just right when Backup Utility can do that for you? Note To back up a computer's file and folders, users must be in the Administrators or Backup Operators groups. If they aren't in either of those groups, they must have at least read permission on each file and folder they want to back up using Backup Utility. Alternately, you can give users the Back up files and directories and the Restore files and directories rights. Planning a Backup Strategy If you're an IT professional in a large enterprise, you already have a backup plan. Many small and home-based businesses go without backup plans or backing up their computers at all, and that's a shame. Unproductive downtime probably hurts small businesses more than it hurts huge enterprises, and they can easily avoid it. Whether you back up your computers using Backup Utility, Symantec Ghost, or any other method, just do it, and do it often. The first part of a good strategy is rotation. That is, keeping backups around for a period of time so you can restore to any one of them later. For example, you might back up computers once a week and keep each backup set for a month. You'll always have the four most recent backups available. I use tapes and like to keep one set of tapes offsite in case of a disaster (I also store tapes in a fireproof safe, but you never know about those things until you try them). Use a rotation that works for you; on my server, I use the one shown in Figure 3-6 on the next page (backing up individual computers isn't necessary because I store anything I care to save on the server). I don't change my daily backup tapes because one tape holds a full week's worth of changes. That's why I can get away with having only nine sets of tapes. With more users, you might change tapes daily. Here's a summary of what you see in Figure 3-6: Monthly Move the most recent full-backup tape offsite (tape 5). • Weekly Back up the entire server to tape (tapes 1 through 4). • Daily Back up changed files to tape and mark those files as archived (tapes 6 through 9). The backup set includes system information, users' home folders, documents, mail folders, roaming user profiles, and so on. • 69 Figure 3-6: Normal backup tapes contain all the server's files; incremental backup tapes only files that changed since the last normal or incremental backup. The second part of a good strategy is automation. You'll never stick to your backup plan automate it. Backup Utility integrates with Scheduled Tasks to schedule backup jobs own user interface, so this is easy. You can schedule your own backup jobs in Scheduled but the command-line options are a bit intense, so I'd stick to the user interface. If your require multiple tapes, as mine usually do, you'll have to be around to swap tapes. organizations will want to consider investing in a robotic tape changer or library, if they already invested in large-scale backup technology. Backing Up System State Data In Backup Utility, you don't see an option to back up the registry. Furthermore, if you try the hive files in %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\config, you'll fail. Instead, you back up the XP system state data. System state data is the combination of the following system components server's system state data includes additional components, including Active Directory SYSVOL, and more): Registry • COM+ Class Registration database • Boot files, including the system files • System files that are under Windows File Protection • To back up the registry, you have to copy all the system state data. Likewise, in order to registry, you have to restore all the system state data. This makes Backup Utility a lessway to back up the registry if that's all you're really trying to accomplish. To back up Windows system state data, select the System State check box in Backup Or Restore Wizard, Figure 3-7; or click Only Backup The System State Data in Backup Wizard (yes, they different wizards). You can also select the System State check box on Backup Utility's Backup 70 Figure 3-7: Backup Or Restore Wizard is the default user interface for Backup Utility. If you'd use the classic user interface, click Advanced Mode on the first page. Backup Utility doesn't back up and restore everything on the computer, by the way. HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\BackupRestorecontains two interesting subkeys. first subkey, FilesNotToBackup, contains a list of files and folders that Backup Utility value contains a path to skip, and those values often contain wildcards. The second KeysNotToRestore, contains a list of keys not to restore to the computer. Likewise, contains a key to skip, and you see wildcards in many of the values. You'll find few either subkey. For example, Backup Utility doesn't back up System Restore's restore because \System Volume Information \_restoreGUID\* is in FilesNotToBackup. It doesn't Plug and Play information, either, because CurrentControlSet\Enum\is in KeysNotToRestore. Restoring System State Data Restoring system state data from a backup is similar to backing up the system state data place. If all you backed up was system state data, just restore the entire backup. Otherwise, System State in Backup Or Restore Wizard or on Backup Utility's Restore And Manage Media you restore the files to the original location, you'll restore your computer's settings, protected files, boot files, and so on. This is the shotgun approach to restoring system state backup. Instead of the shotgun approach, the surgical approach is sometimes more appropriate. files to an alternate location. Backup Utility tells you that it won't restore all system state alternate locations, but don't worry; it does restore the registry hive files. Figure 3-8 shows contents of system state data as well as how Backup Utility restores the registry to an location. When you restore system state data to a folder, the registry hive files are in the \Registry. You can load these hive files in Regedit and then copy settings from them to registry. 71 Figure 3-8: Restoring system state data to an alternate location is the best choice if you restore a limited number of files or settings. You don't always have to restore a backup to get at the backup copy of the registry. recent backup contains the settings you want to restore, you'll be happy to know that Backup copies the hive files to %SYSTEMROOT%\repair. Don't try replacing the hive %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\configwiththebackupcopiesyo %SYSTEMROOT%\repair—you can't because they're in use by Windows XP. You can backup hive files in Regedit to borrow settings from them, or you can start Recovery Console then copy the backup hive files to %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\config. It's worth pointing System Restore does a far better job of restoring your settings than you can. Backing Up User Settings Backup Utility puts per-computer settings in system state data, but it doesn't back up settings from users' profile folders. Those settings are in each profile folder's Ntuser.dat forget the per-user class registrations that Windows XP stores in %USERPROFILE% Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Windows\UsrClass.dat. You have to pick these up either by selecting them in Backup or Restore Wizard or by using another means of users' settings, such as backing up roaming user profiles. Windows XP does a great protecting per-computer settings and fixing them when they get out of whack, but it doesn't good of a job with per-user settings. My experience is that after users' settings are fouled, the support call lasts too long, and users don't always leave the experience campers. Backing up user profiles from each computer isn't practical on a large network. You can Restore to fix users' profiles because it backs up settings from the profiles HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList. You can take proactive stance, however. One solution is implementing roaming user profiles. Assuming compatible with your environment (roaming user profiles don't work well in mixed environments when hardware configurations vary wildly from one computer to the next), the central roaming user profiles makes it possible to back up users' settings as part of the server's backup routine. Even if users don't log on to multiple computers, roaming user profiles 72 back on to Windows XP. Note Chapter 10, "Deploying User Profiles," gives this subject more attention. You learn deploy different types of user profiles, back them up, and so on. You also learn many improvements that Windows XP makes to roaming user profiles, which just them more feasible in your organization. Recovering from Disasters Everything I've explained to this point assumes that you can start Windows XP. If you recovery options are a bit more limited and a lot more dramatic. If you have the money, Winternals Software Administrator's Pak. This is a set of advanced troubleshooting tools to recover configurations that are on the teetering edge of the trash bin. Learn more http://www.winternals.com. I'll tell you more about these tools in Chapter 8, "Finding Settings," because I use them to track down programs' settings in the registry (a hint come). It's fortunate that these types of problems don't occur as often as they once did. The improvements in Windows XP mean that I don't have to recover nearly as many configurations did with Microsoft Windows 98 or Microsoft Windows NT 4.0. The tools available in Windows similar to the ones that came with Windows 2000. The Advanced Options menu (the offers a variety of modes in which to start Windows XP, including Safe Mode. Recovery a limited command prompt with which you can fix certain classes of problems. And System Recovery, which is the last resort, minimally reinstalls Windows XP on the computer. present these in the order in which you should use each option. Note After a failure isn't the right time to master the advanced troubleshooting tools. Practice them in a lab environment. Make them your own by scoping out their advantages disadvantages well in advance of any problems. Master these tools now, and you'll smug feeling you get by fixing a user's computer and walking away saying, "no worries," just a few minutes of work. Advanced Options Menu Windows XP gives you a number of options for starting the computer. Safe Mode common example. In Safe Mode, Windows XP uses default settings for the minimum set drivers required to start the operating system. When you can't start Windows XP normally, usually start it in Safe Mode and then repair the problem or use System Restore to checkpoint. You can also remove programs using Add Or Remove Programs and uninstall devices. To start Safe Mode or one of the other modes, you have to display the Advanced Options First restart the computer. When you see the message, "Please select the operating start," press F8 (you might start tapping F8 prior to seeing this message), and then select options in the menu: Safe Mode. Starts Windows XP using basic files and drivers (mouse, monitor, mass storage, basic video, and default system services without network connections). Windows XP doesn't start using safe mode, you might need to use Recovery • 73 described in the last item, but includes network connections. Safe Mode With Command Prompt. Starts Windows XP using basic files and drivers. logging on to the operating system, you see a command prompt instead of the user interface. • Enable Boot Logging. Starts Windows XP and logs all the device drivers and services the operating system attempts to load. The log file is Ntbtlog.txt and %SYSTEMROOT% folder. Safe Mode, Safe Mode with Networking, and Safe Command Prompt add to the log a list of all the drivers and services that Windows loaded. The log is useful for determining which device driver or service is Windows XP from starting properly. • Enable VGA Mode. Starts Windows XP using the basic VGA driver. This mode after installing a new device driver for the video card when it's causing Windows start properly. Windows XP always uses the basic VGA driver when you start in Safe Mode with Networking, or Safe Mode with Command Prompt. • Last Known Good Configuration. Starts Windows XP using the registry hive device drivers that Windows XP saved the last time it shut down. Any changes the last successful startup are lost. Use Last Known Good Configuration only problem is in the configuration because it doesn't solve problems that corrupt or missing cause. • Directory Service Restore Mode. Restores the SYSVOL directory and the Active directory service on a server. This option is irrelevant to Windows XP. • Debugging Mode. Starts Windows XP and sends debugging information computer through a serial cable. Note If you're unable to start Windows XP using the graphical user interface, usually start it using Safe Mode with Command Prompt. To run System Restore, you're likely to do if you want to restore an earlier restore point, run the %SYSTEMROOT% \System32\Restore\rstrui.exe. • Recovery Console If Safe Mode doesn't do the trick, try Recovery Console. It offers commands that help fix system-related problems. You can enable or disable services; format disks; read and write a local NTFS volume; and perform a number of other administrative tasks. Notably, you files from a floppy disk or CD to %SYSTEMROOT% in order to replace broken system Recovery Console is useful only if you're already familiar with the MS-DOS command prompt, you must log on to the computer as an administrator to use it. You start Recovery Console one of two ways: From the Windows XP CD. Boot the computer using the Windows XP CD, and program gives you the option of starting Recovery Console. • From the list of operating systems when the computer boots. First install Console on the computer by typing D:\i386\winnt32.exe /cmdcons in the Run where D is the drive containing the Windows XP CD. Restart the computer, and Recovery Console in the list of operating systems. • Recovery Console has numerous commands, but it's missing a good chunk of the commands MS-DOS command prompt provides. To see a list of commands and how to use them, the Recovery Console command prompt. Here's a brief overview of each of them: 74 Bootcfg Boot file (boot.ini) configuration and recovery • ChDir(Cd) Displays the name of the current directory or changes the current directory • Chkdsk Checks a disk and displays a status report • Cls Clears the screen • Copy Copies a single file to another location • Delete (Del) Deletes one or more files • Dir Displays a list of files and subdirectories in a directory • Disable Disables a system service or a device driver • Diskpart Manages partitions on your hard disks • Enable Starts or enables a system service or a device driver • Exit Exits the Recovery Console and restarts your computer • Expand Extracts a file from a compressed file • Fixboot Writes a new partition boot sector onto the specified partition • Fixmbr Repairs the master boot record of the specified disk • Format Formats a disk • Help Displays a list of the commands you can use in Recovery Console • Listsvc Lists the services and drivers available on the computer • Logon Logs on to a Windows installation • Map Displays the drive letter mappings • Mkdir (Md) Creates a directory • More Displays a text file • Net Use Connects a network share to a drive letter • Rename (Ren) Renames a single file • Rmdir (Rd) Deletes a directory • Set Displays and sets environment variables • Systemroot Sets the current directory to the systemroot directory of the system currently logged on to • Type Displays a text file • Policies that you can enable to add more oomph to Recovery Console are new for Windows The policies Recovery console: Allow automatic administrative logon and Recovery console: floppy copy and access to all drives and folders are per-computer administrative \Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\Security Options. Enable Recovery Allow automatic administrative logon to automatically log on to Recovery Console as Administrator. Set Recovery console: Allow floppy copy and access to all drives and folders to allow access of the computer's drives and folders (Recovery Console limits access to %SYSTEMROOT% default). After you enable this policy, you configure Recovery Console by setting environment variables: Type set variable = true | false at the command prompt (you must include each side of the equal sign). Table 3-3 shows the default environment settings. To see settings, type set. Table 3-3: Recovery Console Environment Settings Setting Default Description AllowWildCards False Enable wildcards for some commands AllowAllPaths False Allow access to all files and folders AllowRemovableMedia False Allow file copying to removable media NoCopyPrompt False Don't prompt to overwrite existing files 75 changes that Sysprep makes in the way Windows XP stores password keys in the registry. These changes aren't compatible with Recovery Console. Microsoft publishes a fix for this problem in the Knowledge Base. Look for article Q308402, and download the files it lists. I expect that the first service pack for Windows XP will fix this problem. Automated System Recovery Create Automated System Recovery (ASR) backups frequently as part of your overall strategy. It's a last resort for system recovery, useful only if you've used up the other options that I've described in this chapter, including Safe Mode, Last Known Good Configuration, and Recovery Console. Automated System Recovery is a two-part process. The first part is to back up the computer using Automated System Recovery Preparation Wizard, which is in Backup Utility. The wizard backs up system state data, services, and all operating system components. It also creates a file that contains information about the backup data, disk configurations, and how to restore the computer. Automated System Recovery does not back up or restore data files, programs, and so on. It only backs up the files necessary to start the computer in the event of failure. Here's how to prepare for Automated System Recovery: Run Backup Utility. Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and then Backup. 1. If you see Backup or Restore Wizard, click Advanced Mode; otherwise, move on to the next step. 2. Click Automated System Recovery Wizard to start the wizard, and then follow the instructions you see on the screen to back up the computer and create an Automated System Recovery disk. 3. The second part of the process is to restore the computer. You use Automated System Recovery by pressing F2 when the setup program prompts you. Automated System Recovery reads the disk configurations from the file it created earlier, and restores all disk signatures, volumes, and disks containing operating system files. (It tries to restore all of the computer's disks but might not be able to do so successfully.) Automated System Recovery then installs Windows XP minimally, and then restores the backup created by Automated System Recovery Preparation Wizard. The whole process is similar to reinstalling Windows XP manually and then restoring your own backup. It's automated, however. Administrator's Pak Winternals Software Administrator's Pak contains tools that go far beyond Recovery Console and Automated System Recovery. You can also buy these tools individually if the price of the entire toolkit is a bit steep. The first tool is ERD Commander. Using this tool, you can start computers directly from a CD into an environment similar to Windows XP. The environment gives you full access to all the computer's volumes. It's kind of like a graphical version of Recovery Console. You can even reset a forgotten Administrator password, edit the registry, and copy files from the computer to the network. If this tool is your last resort for fixing a downed computer, you're going to be in good hands. 76 you can copy them to a safe place. Remote Recover is the last tool that I'm featuring here, but there are more in the Administrator's Pak. Use this tool to repair failed computers across a network. That is, it gives you access to a remote computer's disks as if you installed those disks on your computer. You have to boot the remote computer, though, and Remote Recover gives you two options. The first is to start the remote computer using a bootable floppy disk. The second, and the one I like best, is a PXE-based disk image that you can start remotely or add to a RIS (Remote Installation Service) server. You can learn more about these notable tools by visiting Winternals Software's Web site at www.winternals.com. The wunderkind duo of Mark Russinovich and Bryce Cogswell, Winternals Software's founders, have developed these and other tools to such a high level of reliability that I often bet my job on them. 77 Overview This chapter covers hacking the registry to make Microsoft Windows XP look and feel want. Rather than showing you how Windows XP organizes the registry, which is covered chapters in Part IV, "Appendices," I'll show you the brute force hacks that immediately way you use Windows XP. To make these customizations easier, I've included scripts them. Download these and new scripts at http://www.honeycutt.com. I use the term hack loosely. These aren't security hacks or hacks that give you more features you're supposed to have. By no means am I helping you hack product activation. These that help you customize the operating system in ways that you can't through its user interface. example, this chapter helps you customize the shortcut menus and the icons you see interface and change how Windows XP behaves. It even describes how you can automatically on to Windows XP, bypassing the Log On To Windows dialog box. You'll find some of on various Web sites and FAQs, but hopefully I'm giving you many new ones that you anywhere else. These hacks are for power users. If you're looking for customizations with an IT flavor, see 15, "Working Around IT Problems," which has customizations that help IT professionals Windows XP and solve particular IT problems. But even though the chapter you're reading end user-oriented, IT professionals might find that its customizations are a good enterprise users, and professionals can deploy those customizations in a variety of ways, default user profiles, policies, and scripts. For example, IT professionals frequently ask simulate IntelliMirror features like Folder Redirection without using policies, and the first you how to do just that. Redirecting Special Folders Special folders include the My Documents, My Pictures, and Favorites folders, among many Table 4-1 shows the special folders that Windows XP creates after a fresh installation default paths. The first column contains each folder's internal name as Windows XP programs know it. The second column contains each folder's default path, which almost starts with %USERPROFILE%, making these folders part of each user's profile folder. "Deploying User Profiles," describes these user profile folders in depth. Table 4-1: Special Folders Name Default path AppData %USERPROFILE%\Application Data Cache %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files Cookies %USERPROFILE%\Cookies Desktop %USERPROFILE%\Desktop Favorites %USERPROFILE%\Favorites History %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\History Local AppData %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data Local Settings %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings 78 My Pictures %USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Pictures NetHood %USERPROFILE%\NetHood Personal %USERPROFILE%\My Documents PrintHood %USERPROFILE%\PrintHood Programs %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs Recent %USERPROFILE%\Recent SendTo %USERPROFILE%\SendTo Start Menu %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu Startup %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup Templates %USERPROFILE%\Templates Users might want to redirect special folders for a variety of reasons, but two come to mind. The first is to redirect the My Documents folder to a different volume. For example, users might redirect My Documents to drive D so they can reinstall Windows XP on drive C without losing their documents. The second scenario is when users have a network and want to access their documents from more than one computer. In that case, they can redirect both their My Documents and Favorites folders to a network location so they have access to them from anywhere. IT professionals frequently want to redirect My Documents to a network location, too, which makes backing up users' documents easier. This can be done with the IntelliMirror feature Redirected Folders. IT professionals can't use IntelliMirror features without Active Directory, but they can simulate Redirected Folders. Chapter 15, "Working Around IT Problems," shows how to use this hack in that scenario. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders is the key where Windows XP stores the location of per-user special folders. Each value in this key is a special folder as shown in Table 4-1. These are REG_EXPAND_SZ values, so you can use environment variables in them. Use %USERPROFILE% in a path to direct the folder somewhere inside users' profile folders or %USERNAME% in a path to include users' names. To redirect users' Favorites folders to the network, set the value Favorites, which you looked up in Table 4-1, to \\ Server \ Share \%USERNAME%\Favorites, where \\ Server \ Share is the server and share containing the folders. The next time the user logs on, Windows XP updates a second key, HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion \Explorer\Shell Folders, with the paths from User Shell Folders, so you don't have to update it. In fact, Microsoft's documentation says Windows XP doesn't use Shell Folders. The following listing shows you how to redirect special folders automatically. Save this listing to the text file Redirect.inf and replace the string PERSONAL with the location where you want to redirect the My Documents folder. (Use environment variables so the script works for all users.) Do the same for the strings FAVORITES, PICTURES, and APPDATA. To configure these settings, right-click Redirect.inf, and then click Install. Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes," shows you other ways to deploy these settings. You can uninstall this script using Add Or Remove Programs. Listing 4-1: Redirect.inf [ Version] Signature=$CHICAGO$ [DefaultInstall] AddReg=Reg.Settings AddReg=Reg.Uninstall CopyFiles=Inf.Copy [DefaultUninstall] 79 [Reg.Settings] HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ \User Shell Folders,AppData,0x20000,"%APPDATA%" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ \User Shell Folders,Personal,0x20000,"%PERSONAL%" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ \User Shell Folders,My Pictures,0x20000,"%PICTURES%" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell \ Folders,favorites,0x20000,"%FAVORITES%" [Reg.Uninstall] HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\%NAME% HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\ \%NAME%,DisplayName,,"%NAME%" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\%NAME%,UninstallString\ ,,"Rundll32.exe setupapi.dll,InstallHinfSection DefaultUninstall 132"\ "%53%\Application Data\Custom\Redirect.inf" [Inf.Copy] Redirect.inf [DestinationDirs] Inf.Copy=53,Application Data\Custom [SourceDisksNames] 55=%DISKNAME% [SourceDisksFiles] Redirect.inf=55 [Strings] NAME = "Jerry's Redirect Folders" APPDATA = "\\Server\Folders\%USERNAME%\Application Data" PERSONAL = "\\Server\Folders\%USERNAME%\My Documents" PICTURES = "\\Server\Folders\%USERNAME%\My Documents\My Pictures" FAVORITES = "\\Server\Folders\%USERNAME%\Favorites" DISKNAME = "Setup Files" NoteThe special folders in this section are per-user and exist within users' profile folders. Windows XP also lists per-computer special folders in HKLM. Examples of per-computer folders include Common AppData, Common Desktop, and Common Documents. It's not as useful to customize per-computer folders, however. Regardless, the same rules apply. Change the location of the folder in User Shell folders; Windows XP automatically updates Shell Folders. Customizing Shell Folders Some folders you see in Windows Explorer, Control Panel, or on the desktop don't actually exist on the file system. They're objects based on classes registered in the key HKCR\CLSID. Some folders and files that do exist on the file system have special capabilities (the History and Briefcase folders for example), and those capabilities also come from objects based on classes registered in HKCR\CLSID. A class is essentially a template for creating something real, like an object in the user interface, and CLSID is where those classes register themselves so Windows XP knows about them. 80 Appendix A, "File Associations," describes the value Attributes and what to make of each Figure 4-1 shows what this subkey and value look like in the registry. Class registrations the value LocalizedString are also likely candidates for customization because they value only if objects based on that class appear in the user interface. These classes have of purposes, and you'll use them frequently to hack Windows XP. Figure 4-1: You can find interesting object classes by searching for ShellFolder subkeys contain the value Attributes. Look for LocalizedString, too. Table 4-2 on the next page lists the classes registered in HKCR\CLSID that I found interesting. I divided this table into four sections. The first is shell folders. special-purpose folders, such as My Computer, My Network Places, and so on. The second is Control Panel folders, for example Administrative Tools and Scheduled Tasks. The third Control Panel icons. The fourth section is other interesting classes, such as the Run Objects created from classes in the first two sections are folders. Objects created from the last two sections are generally dialog boxes but sometimes add capabilities to files as is the case with Briefcase. The first column is the class's name and the second column class's GUID, or class identifier. I've italicized those that aren't useful for hacking but into frequently while hacking the registry. Table 4-2: Special Object Classes Object Class identifier Shell folders ActiveX Cache {88C6C381-2E85-11D0-94DE-444553540000} Computer Search Results {1F4DE370-D627-11D1-BA4F-00A0C91EEDBA} History {FF393560-C2A7-11CF-BFF4-444553540000} Internet Explorer {871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D} My Computer {20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} My Documents {450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103} 81 My Network Places {208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D} Offline Files {AFDB1F70-2A4C-11D2-9039-00C04F8EEB3E} Programs {7BE9D83C-A729-4D97-B5A7-1B7313C39E0A} Recycle Bin {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E} Search Results {E17D4FC0-5564-11D1-83F2-00A0C90DC849} Shared Documents {59031A47-3F72-44A7-89C5-5595FE6B30EE} Start Menu {48E7CAAB-B918-4E58-A94D-505519C795DC} Temporary Internet Files {7BD29E00-76C1-11CF-9DD0-00A0C9034933} Web {BDEADF00-C265-11D0-BCED-00A0C90AB50F} Control Panel folders Administrative Tools {D20EA4E1-3957-11D2-A40B-0C5020524153} Fonts {D20EA4E1-3957-11D2-A40B-0C5020524152} Network Connections {7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E} Printers and Faxes {2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D} Scanners and Cameras {E211B736-43FD-11D1-9EFB-0000F8757FCD} Scheduled Tasks {D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF} Control Panel icons Folder Options {6DFD7C5C-2451-11D3-A299-00C04F8EF6AF} Taskbar and Start Menu {0DF44EAA-FF21-4412-828E-260A8728E7F1} User Accounts {7A9D77BD-5403-11D2-8785-2E0420524153} Other Add Network Places {D4480A50-BA28-11D1-8E75-00C04FA31A86} Briefcase {85BBD920-42A0-1069-A2E4-08002B30309D} E-mail {2559A1F5-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0} Help and Support {2559A1F1-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0} Internet {2559A1F4-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0} Network Setup Wizard {2728520D-1EC8-4C68-A551-316B684C4EA7} Run {2559A1F3-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0} Search {2559A1F0-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0} Windows Security {2559A1F2-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0} You can do a lot when armed with the information in Table 4-2. You can customize which you see in My Computer, for example. You can rename the icons you see on the desktop that matter, configure which icons appear on the desktop at all. For example, administrators put the Administrative Tools folder on their desktops to make it quicker to access. See the sections for information about the different ways I've found to use these classes. Renaming Desktop Icons On the desktop, you can rename the My Computer, My Network Places, My Documents, Internet Explorer icons. Assuming you see these icons on your desktop, right-click them, click Rename. Other icons, like the Recycle Bin, aren't so easy. No Rename command for them. You rename an icon without a Rename command by editing its class registration. Change of LocalizedString. Here's an example: In Table 4-1, you see the Recycle Bin's 82 HKCR\CLSID\{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E} to Trash Can. Afterward, desktop, and press F5 to refresh its contents. The value LocalizedString usually contains something like @%SystemRoot%\system32\SHELL32.dll,-8964, which means that Windows XP string with the ID 8964 from the file Shell32.dll. Just replace all that with the new name. Tip LocalizedString is a REG_EXPAND_SZ value, so you can environment variables. For example, set LocalizedString %USERNAME%'s Garbage, and the user Jerry sees Jerry's Garbage below the icon. You can do this for other icons as well. My Computer's class ID is {20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}. LocalizedString HKCR\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} %USERNAME%'s Computer, and the user Jerry sees Jerry's Computer instead of My Computer; the user Sally sees Sally's Computer. You don't see the value LocalizedString in some class registrations. The absence of this indicates that Microsoft didn't intend to display the names of those objects in the user interface. rename a class that doesn't contain this value, change the default value of HKCR\CLSID\ classID better yet, add LocalizedString to it. When Windows XP looks for an object's name, it looks LocalizedString and second for the class registration's default value. Using Custom Icon Images Each class registration you see in Table 4-2 contains the subkey DefaultIcon. This subkey's value is the icon that Windows XP uses when it displays objects based on that class. For example, the default value of DefaultIcon in HKCR\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D808002B30309D} is the icon that Windows XP displays when it creates the My Computer object in the user interface, such as in Windows Explorer or on the desktop. To use a different icon, change the default value of DefaultIcon. You can use the path and file of an icon file, which has the .ico extension, or you can use a resource path. A resource either Name, Index or Name,- resID. Name is the path and name of the file containing which is usually a DLL or EXE file. Most of the icons that Windows XP uses come %SystemRoot%\System32\Shell32.dll. Index is the index number of the icon, beginning resID is the resource identifier of the icon. Programmers assign resource IDs to resources store in program files, including icons, strings, dialog boxes, and so on. Tip My favorite tool for finding icons in program files is PE Explorer from Heaven Tools. download an evaluation copy from the Web site at http://www.heaventools.com. This even extract all the icons from DLL and EXE files so that you can use them individually. Adding Desktop Icons Windows XP has a much cleaner desktop than earlier versions of Windows. By default, only the Recycle Bin icon. You can add the typical icons, though: On the Display Properties box's Desktop tab, click Customize Desktop. In the Desktop Items dialog box, choose the icons want to display on the desktop. The icons you can add are My Documents, My Computer, Network Places, and Internet Explorer. To open the Display Properties dialog box, click Control Panel, Appearance And Themes, and then click Display. 83 about in this section are in the branch SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Change this branch in HKLM to affect all users; change it in HKCU to affect an individual Figure 4-2 shows the contents of this branch. Figure 4-2: The NameSpace subkeys of Explorer\ControlPanel, Explorer\Desktop, and Explorer\MyComputer determine the contents of each corresponding folder. You add icons to Control Panel, the desktop, and so on by editing the subkeys indicated 4-3. Create a new subkey in NameSpace and name it the class ID of the object you want For example, to add an icon to the desktop that opens the Run dialog box (see Table new subkey called {2559A1F3-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0} to Desktop\Namespace. refresh the desktop by clicking it and pressing F5. As shown in Figure 4-3 on the next can add folders to My Computer, too. In this case, I added the Administrative Tools and Connections folders to My Computer. Only folder objects are good candidates for My Computer, pick class IDs from the first two sections of Table 4-1. Add class IDs from the last two the table, and you'll see only those objects in the right pane of Windows Explorer. Objects classes in the second and third sections of Table 4-1 are good choices for Control Panel. Figure 4-3: By editing the registry, you can reorganize the contents of Windows Explorer. Table 4-3: NameSpace Subkeys 84 Folder Subkey Control Panel ControPanel\NameSpace Desktop Desktop\NameSpace My Computer MyComputer\NameSpace My Network Places NetworkNeighborhood\NameSpace Remote Computer RemoteComputer\NameSpace Hiding Desktop Icons With earlier versions of Windows, you removed icons from the desktop by removing their from the key NameSpace. This often caused problems, especially when removing the Neighborhood icon from the desktop. Windows XP makes a special provision for hiding desktop icons. You remove icons desktop or My Computer by editing in HKLM or HKCU the branch SOFTWARE \Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer. To hide icons in My Computer, add a REG_ value to HideMyComputerIcons—the name is the class ID of the icon you want to hide— 0x01. Refresh Windows Explorer to see your changes. Hiding desktop icons is a hair more complicated. In HideDesktopIcons, you see two ClassicStartMenu and NewStartPanel. The first subkey determines which icons to Windows XP is using the classic Start menu. The second determines which icons to Windows XP is using the new Start menu. Add a REG_DWORD value named for the icon's to either subkey to hide it in that view. Set the value to 0x01. For example, to hide the Recycle icon when the new Start menu is in use, create a REG_DWORD value {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E} in the subkey HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel, and then set it to 0x01. Click the desktop and then press F5 to refresh. Tip When you add a class ID to HideMyComputerIcons or HideDesktopIcons, use the default of that subkey to remind you which icon you're hiding. Windows XP doesn't use this default value, and putting the icon's name in it will help you figure out which subkey in order to show that icon. Customizing File Associations File associations control the following aspects of how Windows XP treats files: Which icon Windows XP displays for a file • Which application launches when users double-click files • How Windows Explorer displays particular types of files • Which commands appear on files' shortcut menus • Other features, such as InfoTips • Appendix A, "File Associations," describes file associations in detail. In that chapter, you how to customize file associations in ways that only programmers know—until now. Appendix A gives the full treatment to file associations and the root key that contains them, I'm not going to duplicate that material here. I thought you'd have more fun with some association customizations that I like, such as adding Tweak UI to the My Computer icon's menu or opening an MS-DOS command prompt at a particular folder. 85 File Associations in the Registry I said that Appendix A, "File Associations," is the place to go to learn about file associations in HKCR, but a quick brain dump will help you use the hacks you see in this chapter. Take a look at Figure 4-4, which shows how Windows XP chooses what to display on a file's shortcut menu. Figure 4-4: A file extension key's default value indicates the program class with which it's associated. The program class's shell subkey contains commands you see on the shortcut menu. In the figure on the previous page, you see the keys that Windows XP consults when you right-click a text file and then click Open. First the operating system looks up the file extension in HKCR. The default value, shown in Figure 4-4, indicates that the program class associated with the .txt file extension is txtfile. So the operating system looks in HKCR\txtfile for the subkey shell to find the commands it adds to the shortcut menu. For example, as shown in Figure 4-4, Windows XP adds Open to the shortcut menu, and when users choose Open, it runs the command in the command subkey. The command in the command subkey is usually "program" options "%1 ". program is the path and file name of the program you want to run. If you're using a script and change the default value of command to REG_EXPAND_SZ, you can use environment variables like %SYSTEMROOT% in it. Otherwise, use an explicit path. You use the %1 as a placeholder for the target file. Windows XP will add the path and name of the target file to the end of the command, but you don't want to leave this up to chance. Also, always enclose %1 in quotes in case the target path and file name include spaces. You often see this same shell subkey in class registrations, too. For example, the class registration for My Computer contains a command for managing the computer. The class registration for Recycle Bin contains commands to empty and explore its contents. Running Programs from My Computer I'm all for any customization that makes things easier. There are some programs that I use over and over again, and I want a nice, easy place from which to run them. The Quick Launch toolbar is nice, as is the list of frequently used programs on the Start menu. I want a place where I can put system-oriented commands, though, so I like to put those commands on My Computer's shortcut menu. Then I can display the My Computer icon on the desktop and they're one mouse click away. You learned how to show the icon in the section "Hiding Desktop Icons." 86 shell subkey. For example, after installing Microsoft Tweak UI, which you learn about in Chapter 5, "Mapping Tweak UI," I like to add a command to My Computer's shortcut menu that opens Tweak UI. So I add the branch tweak\command to My Computer's class registration. I set the default value of tweak to Tweak UI, the menu item text, and the default value of command to C:\Windows\System32\Tweakui.exe, the path and file name of Tweak UI. After customizing the class registration for My Computer, starting Tweak UI is fast: Right-click My Computer, and then click Tweak UI. The following INF file automates this setting. First install Tweak UI. Then save this script to the file Tweakui.inf, right-click the file, and then click Install. (Again, you can download these sample scripts from http://www.honeycutt.com.) See Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes," for other ways to script this hack. You can uninstall these settings in Add Or Remove Programs. Listing 4-2: Tweakui.inf [Version] Signature=$CHICAGO$ [DefaultInstall] AddReg=Reg.Settings AddReg=Reg.Uninstall CopyFiles=Inf.Copy [DefaultUninstall] DelReg=Reg.Settings DelReg=Reg.Uninstall DelFiles=Inf.Copy [Reg.Settings] HKCR,CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\shell\tweak HKCR,CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\shell\tweak,,,"%MENUITEM%" HKCR,CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\shell\tweak\command\ ,,0x20000,"%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\Tweakui.exe" [Reg.Uninstall] HKLM,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\%NAME% HKLM,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\%NAME%,DisplayName\ ,,"%NAME%" HKLM,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\%NAME%,UninstallString\ ,,"Rundll32.exe setupapi.dll,InstallHinfSection DefaultUninstall 132"\ "%17%\Tweakui.inf" [Inf.Copy] Tweakui.inf [DestinationDirs] Inf.Copy=17 [SourceDisksNames] 55=%DISKNAME% [SourceDisksFiles] Tweakui.inf=55 [Strings] NAME = "Jerry's Tweak UI Shortcut" MENUITEM = "Tweak UI" DISKNAME = "Setup Files" 87 You can add any command to any shortcut menu, and that command doesn't have to edit, print, or do anything at all with the menu's target. My Computer is a good place to park systemoriented commands like Tweak UI, but you could also put them on another object's shortcut menu, such as Recycle Bin, if you don't display the My Computer icon on the desktop. Open Command Prompts at Folders Another favorite customization, and the one I probably use the most, enables me to quickly open an MS-DOS command prompt with the targeted folder set as the current working directory. I add the command C:\WINDOWS\System32\cmd.exe /k cd "%1" to the Directory and Drive program classes. Then I right-click a folder and click CMD Prompt Here to open a command prompt with that folder set as the current working directory. This is a real time saver. Here are the settings to add to HKCR\Directory (repeat these settings in HKCR\Drive): In HKCR\Directory\shell, create the subkey cmdhere. • In HKCR\Directory\shell\cmdhere, set the default value to CMD Prompt Here. This is the text you'll see on the shortcut menu. • In HKCR\Directory\shell\cmdhere, create the subkey command. • InHKCR\Directory\shell\cmdhere\command,setthedefaultv alueto C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /k cd "%1". • The following script automatically adds this command to the Directory and Drive program classes. Save it to the text file Cmdhere.inf, right-click it, and then click Install. To understand how this script works, see Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes." Remove these settings using Add Or Remove Programs. Listing 4-3: Cmdhere.inf [Version] Signature=$CHICAGO$ [DefaultInstall] AddReg=Reg.Settings AddReg=Reg.Uninstall CopyFiles=Inf.Copy [DefaultUninstall] DelReg=Reg.Settings DelReg=Reg.Uninstall DelFiles=Inf.Copy [Reg.Settings] HKCR,Directory\Shell\Cmdhere HKCR,Directory\Shell\Cmdhere,,,"%MENUITEM%" HKCR,Directory\Shell\Cmdhere\command,,,"%11%\cmd.exe /k cd ""%1""" HKCR,Drive\Shell\Cmdhere HKCR,Drive\Shell\Cmdhere,,,"%MENUITEM%" HKCR,Drive\Shell\Cmdhere\command,,,"%11%\cmd.exe /k cd ""%1""" [Reg.Uninstall] HKLM,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\%NAME% HKLM,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\%NAME%,DisplayName\ ,,"%NAME%" HKLM,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\%NAME%,UninstallString\ ,,"Rundll32.exe setupapi.dll,InstallHinfSection DefaultUninstall 132"\ "%17%\Cmdhere.inf" 88 [DestinationDirs] Inf.Copy=17 [SourceDisksNames] 55=%DISKNAME% [SourceDisksFiles] Cmdhere.inf=55 [Strings] NAME = "Jerry's CMD Prompt Here" MENUITEM = "CMD &Prompt Here" DISKNAME = "Setup Files" Rooting Windows Explorer at a Folder The idea behind this customization is to open Windows Explorer without all the usual clutter so you can focus on a single folder. Add the command explorer.exe /e,/root,/idlist,%I to the Folder program class's shell subkey. Then right-click any folder, choose the command you added, and another Windows Explorer window opens with that folder rooted at the top of the left pane. Here are the settings you add to the Folder program class: In HKCR\Folder\shell, create the subkey fromhere. • In HKCR\Folder\shell\fromhere, set the default value to Explore from Here. This is the text you'll see on the shortcut menu. • In HKCR\Folder\shell\fromhere, create the subkey command. • In HKCR\Folder\shell\fromhere\command, set the default value to explorer.exe /e,/root,/idlist,%I. • The following script automatically adds this command to the Folder program class. Save it to the text file Fromhere.inf, right-click it, and then click Install. To understand how this script works, see Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes." Remove these settings using Add Or Remove Programs. Listing 4-4: Fromhere.inf [Version] Signature=$CHICAGO$ [DefaultInstall] AddReg=Reg.Settings AddReg=Reg.Uninstall CopyFiles=Inf.Copy [DefaultUninstall] DelReg=Reg.Settings DelReg=Reg.Uninstall DelFiles=Inf.Copy [Reg.Settings] HKCR,Folder\shell\fromhere HKCR,Folder\shell\fromhere,,,"%MENUITEM%" HKCR,Folder\shell\fromhere\command,,,"explorer.exe /e,/root,/idlist,%I" 89 ,DisplayName,,"%NAME%" HKLM,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\%NAME%\ ,UninstallString,,"Rundll32.exe setupapi.dll,InstallHinfSection DefaultUninstall 132"\ "%17%\Fromhere.inf" [Inf.Copy] Fromhere.inf [DestinationDirs] Inf.Copy=17 [SourceDisksNames] 55=%DISKNAME% [SourceDisksFiles] Fromhere.inf=55 [Strings] NAME = "Jerry's Explore from Here" MENUITEM = "Explore from &Here" DISKNAME = "Setup Files" Adding InfoTips to Program Classes I like InfoTips; you might not. Position the mouse pointer over an object in the user interface, and Windows XP displays the InfoTip associated with it in a small yellow box. For documents, the InfoTip typically includes the type of document, the date of its last modification, its size, and so on. You can further customize InfoTips, though. Windows XP uses the REG_SZ value InfoTip to display InfoTips. The operating system uses this value it finds in the class registration or program class to which the object belongs. For example, if you position the mouse pointer over a file with the .doc file extension, Windows XP looks in the associated program class Wordpad.Document.1 for the value InfoTip. If it doesn't find the value there, it uses the value InfoTip that it finds in HKCR\*. The default value of that is prop:Type;DocAuthor;DocTitle;DocSubject;DocComments; Write;Size. Thus, you can customize individual classes or create an InfoTip that applies to all classes. If you're after a specific object or file type, add the REG_SZ value InfoTip to that specific class registration or program class. Otherwise, customize the value InfoTip in HKCR\* to see that tip for all file classes. So what does all that mean? The notation prop: name indicates to Windows XP that it should use the document property name in the InfoTip. Thus, the value you just saw means that Windows XP should display the document properties Type, DocAuthor, DocTitle, DocSubject, DocComments, Write, and Size in the InfoTip. You can also set InfoTip to an exact string that you want Windows XP to display when users position the mouse pointer over objects of that particular class. For example, you can set InfoTip for the txtfile program class to This is a text file, and that's what Windows XP displays when users position the mouse pointer over text files. Windows XP ignores any property in the InfoTip that the document doesn't define, and InfoTips can be up to six lines long. The following list shows just some of the document properties that you can add to an InfoTip (available properties depend on each individual program class): 90 Artist • Attributes • Bit Rate • CameraModel • Company • Copyright • Create • Dimensions • DocAuthor • DocCategory • DocComments • DocPages • DocSubject • DocTitle • Duration • FileDescription • FileVersion • Genre • LinkTarget • Name • Owner • ProductName • ProductVersion • Protected • Size • Status • Track • Type • WhenTaken • Write • Year • NoteA related value is TileInfo. The contents of this value are the same as the contents of InfoTip. Windows XP displays TileInfo next to icons in Tile view. You're limited to two lines, however, so make good use of the space you have. I don't like the default value of TileInfo in most cases; I prefer to display more useful information such as a file's attributes. Thus, I like to set the value HKCR\*\TileInfo to prop:Type;Attributes, which is more useful to me. Although you don't have to log off and back on to Windows XP to see changes you make to InfoTip, you do have to log off of Windows XP to see changes you make to TileInfo. Customizing Folders with Desktop.ini This customization only marginally involves the registry, but it's too good to leave out. This chapter shows you how to customize files and other objects you see in the user interface, but customizing individual folders is good, too. For example, you might have a folder in My Documents that you want to stand out from others. You do that by creating the file Desktop.ini in the folder. You can customize folders numerous ways using this file, but the two most interesting are setting unique icons for folders and displaying InfoTips when users position the mouse pointer over them. In this sample Desktop.ini file, the value IconFile points to the file containing the icon I want Windows Explorer to display for the folder. The 91 IconIndex to 0. InfoTip is the text that I want Windows Explorer to display when I position the mouse pointer over the folder. [.ShellClassInfo] IconFile=C:\Windows\Regedit.exe IconIndex=0 InfoTip="Manuscripts for my latest registry book." Set the Desktop.ini file's Hidden And System attribute by typing the command attrib +s +h filename in the Run dialog box. You also set the folder's System attribute by typing the command attrib +s foldername in the Run dialog box. Figure 4-5 shows what the folder Registry Book looks like after creating this Desktop.ini file in it and setting the file and folder's attributes. Now whenever I position the mouse pointer over the folder, I am reminded of the important task at hand. Figure 4-5: When I hold the mouse pointer over the Registry Book folder, I see the text Manuscripts for my latest registry book. Adding File Templates I'm sure you know about the New menu. Right-click within any folder, click New, and choose one of the templates available to create a new, empty file; then double-click the new file to edit it. By default, Windows XP provides the following templates: Briefcase, Bitmap Image, Wordpad Document, Rich Text Document, Text Document, Wave Sound, and Compressed (Zipped Folder). You can add templates, though, making the chore of starting new files quicker and easier. Adding new templates is a two-step process: In the file extension key HKCR\.ext, create the ShellNew subkey. 1. Add one of the following four values to the ShellNew subkey to define how Windows XP creates new files of this type: 2. 92 FileName. This is a REG_SZ value that contains the name of a template default, Windows XP looks in %USERPROFILE%\Templates for this file, include an explicit path. → Data. This is a REG_BINARY value containing a binary stream of data that XP uses to create the new file. → Command. This is a REG_SZ value. Windows XP executes the command value, passing it the path and name of the file it's to create. → For example, the template for the .txt file extension creates a null file. Then doubleclick edit it in Notepad. If you'd rather create the file and open it in Notepad automatically, value NullFile from the key HKCR\.txt\ShellNew. Then add the value Command, and Notepad.exe "%1". When you create a new text file using the New menu, Notepad starts you if you want it create the new file. Ideally, any application you launch using the Command would have a command-line option to suppress the prompt, though. Most don't, and you choice but to answer it. Preventing Messenger from Running Believe it or not, some people don't like Windows Messenger, and they tire of the constant nags to sign up for a Passport. Windows XP doesn't provide a user interface Windows Messenger permanently (see Chapter 15, "Working Around IT Problems," way to uninstall it, though), but you can keep it from running. In Windows Messenger, Options. On the Preferences tab of the Options dialog box, clear the Run This Program Windows Starts check box. The problem with this setting is that the program still runs programs start. Clearing this check box removes the command that starts Windows from the key HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. The most ironclad solution is to set the policy that prevents Windows Messenger from ever You can set this policy using Group Policy editor to edit the local Group Policy Object (see 6, "Using Registry-Based Policy"), or you can set the policy directly. To do that, REG_DWORD value PreventRun in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Messenger\ set it to 0x01. This setting affects all users who log on to the computer. When they Windows Messenger, they don't see an error message. It just doesn't run. Personalizing the Start Menu Windows XP has a nice new Start menu. And you can customize it more thoroughly than with any earlier version of Windows. Open the Taskbar And Start Menu Properties dialog clicking Start, Control Panel, Appearance And Themes, and then Taskbar And Start Menu. Start Menu tab, select either the Start Menu option or the Classic Start Menu option which version of the Start menu to use, and then click Customize. The result is the Customize Menu dialog box, which you use to customize what Windows XP displays on the Start menu what form. You can customize the Start menu other ways, too. For example, you can use Tweak UI which programs appear in the frequently used programs list. You learn how to use Tweak Chapter 5, "Mapping Tweak UI." You can also use Tweak UI to customize which icons 93 policies to users in the Users and Power Users groups. Neither group can change settings Policies branch of the registry. This section focuses on deployable settings, and you can about the policies in Appendix D, "Group Policies." The following sections describe the most useful Start menu hacks. First you learn how to what appears and what doesn't appear on the Start menu. Then you learn how to prevent programs from appearing on the frequently used programs list. You also learn how to Start menu's sort order when it's not in alphabetical order. Configuring the Menu's Contents Even though you can completely customize the Start menu in the user interface, power users professionals will likely want to script Start menu customizations. Power users don't reconfigure the Start menu every time they install Windows XP. IT Professionals can use deploy these settings or configure them automatically when creating default user profiles Chapter 10, "Deploying User Profiles"). If you want to script these settings, you need to know where to find them in the registry. happens,allthesesettingsareinthesame HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced. Table 4-4 describes values you can add to this key if they aren't already present. You see two sections in this first section, "Class Start Menu," contains values that affect the classic Start menu. The section, "New Start Menu," contains values that affect the new Start menu, better known Start panel. Most of these settings are REG_DWORD values, but some are REG_SZ values. possible data for one of the settings in Table 4-4 includes 0x01, 0x02, and so REG_DWORD value. If the possible data includes NO or YES, it's a REG_SZ value. Table 4-4: Start Menu Settings Name Data Classic Start Menu StartMenuAdminTools NO—Hide Administrative Tools YES —Display Administrative Tools CascadeControlPanel NO—Display Control Panel as link YES —Display Control Panel as menu CascadeMyDocuments NO—Display My Documents as link YES —Display My Documents as menu CascadeMyPictures NO—Display My Pictures as link YES —Display My Pictures as menu CascadePrinters NO—Display Printers as link YES—Display Printers as menu IntelliMenus 0x00—Don't use personalized menus 94 0x01—Use Personalized Menus CascadeNetworkConnections NO—Display Network Connections as link YES—Display Network Connections as menu Start_LargeMFUIcons 0x00—Show small icons in Start menu 0x01 —Show large icons in Start menu StartMenuChange 0x00—Disable dragging and dropping 0x01—Enable dragging and dropping StartMenuFavorites 0x00—Hide Favorites 0x01—Display Favorites StartMenuLogoff 0x00—Hide Log Off 0x01—Display Log Off StartMenuRun 0x00—Hide Run command 0x01—Display Run command StartMenuScrollPrograms NO—Don't scroll Programs menu YES—Scroll Programs menu New Start Menu Start_ShowControlPanel 0x00 —Hide Control Panel 0x01 —Show Control Panel as link 0x02 —Show Control Panel as menu Start_EnableDragDrop 0x00 —Disable dragging and dropping 0x01 —Enable dragging and dropping StartMenuFavorites 0x00 —Hide Favorites menu 0x01 —Show the Favorites menu Start_ShowMyComputer 0x00 —Hide My Computer 0x01 —Show My Computer as link 0x02 —Show My Computer as menu Start_ShowMyDocs 0x00 —Hide My Documents 0x01 —Show My Documents as link 0x02 —Show My Documents as menu Start_ShowMyMusic 0x00 —Hide My Music 0x01 —Show My Music as link 0x02 —Show My Music as menu 95 Start_ShowMyPics 0x00 —Hide My Pictures 0x01 —Show My Pictures as link 0x02 —Show My Pictures as menu Start_ShowNetConn 0x00 —Hide Network Connections 0x01 —Show Network Connections as link 0x02 —Show Network Connections as menu Start_AdminToolsTemp 0x00 —Hide Administrative Tools 0x01 —Show on All Programs menu 0x02 —Show on All Programs menu and Start menu Start_ShowHelp 0x00 —Hide Help and Support 0x01 —Show Help and Support Start_ShowNetPlaces 0x00 —Hide My Network Places 0x01 —Show My Network Places Start_ShowOEMLink 0x00 —Hide Manufacturer Link 0x01 —Show Manufacturer Link Start_ShowPrinters 0x00 —Hide Printers and Faxes 0x01 —Show Printers and Faxes Start_ShowRun 0x00 —Hide Run command 0x01 —Show Run command Start_ShowSearch 0x00 —Hide Search command 0x01 —Show Search command Start_ScrollPrograms 0x00 —Don't scroll Programs menu 0x01 —Scroll Programs menu Trimming the Frequently Used Programs List Each time you run a program, Windows XP adds it to the list of frequently used programs on the Start menu (see Figure 4-6). You might not want every program you open to appear list, however. For example, I don't want to see Notepad in this list, nor do I want to see Prompt. You can choose which programs do and don't pop up in this list by customizing HKCR\Applications. 96 Figure 4-6: Windows XP displays the programs you frequently use on the Start menu. HKCR\Applications contains subkeys for a variety of programs that Windows XP knows name of each subkey is the name of the program file. Thus, you see the subkeys notepad. explorer.exe in HKCR\Applications. If you want to customize another program, add its subkey key. For example, to customize whether Command Prompt appears in the list of frequently programs, add the subkey cmd.exe to HKCR\Applications. Then, to keep the program off add the REG_SZ value NoStartPage to it. Restoring the Sort Order Unless you disable dragging and dropping on the Start menu (see Table 4-4), users can Programs menu. Windows XP also sometimes adds new shortcuts to the bottom Programs menu. In either case, finding the program you want to run is difficult when the of the Start menu gets out of hand. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MenuOrder contains the sort the Favorites menu and Start menu. The subkey Favorites contains the sort order of the menu. The subkey Start Menu contains the sort order of the classic Start menu, and Start Menu2 contains the sort order of the new Start menu. Deciphering the contents of keys is next to ridiculous, but you can remove any of them to re-sort the corresponding alphabetical order. For example, to restore the All Programs menu to alphabetical order, subkey Start Menu2. To restore the Favorites menu in both Windows Explorer and Explorer, remove the subkey Favorites. I like to keep a script handy that automatically removes MenuOrder. The following example. Save this listing to the text file Resort.inf, right-click it, and then click Install. This different from the others you've seen in this chapter because you can't uninstall it; its changes permanent: Listing 4-5: Resort.inf 97 [Version] Signature=$CHICAGO$ [DefaultInstall] DelReg=Reg.Settings [Reg.Settings] HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MenuOrder Tip You sorted the Start menu just the way you wanted it—wouldn't it be dandy if you could transfer that sort order to another computer? You're in luck. Export the key MenuOrder to a REG file, and then import that REG file to the computer on which you want to use that sort order. Customizing Internet Explorer Windows XP comes with Internet Explorer 6. IT professionals can customize Internet Explorer in a number of ways using the Internet Explorer Administration Kit. This tool is available at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads, and it also comes with the Office XP Resource Kit. You can do the following with the kit: Tailor Internet Explorer and other Internet components to fit the needs of your enterprise or users. For example, you can customize the Links bar and Favorites menu to promote your intranet or provide helpful information. • Configure and deploy settings without ever touching desktops. • Customize the setup program so that it requires little or no user interaction. • Control which settings users can change so that IT professionals can ensure that security, connection, and important settings stick to corporate standards. • FormoreinformationabouttheInternetExplorerAdministrati onKit,see http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ieak/default.asp. The following sections describe a few of my favorite customizations for Internet Explorer, including extending its shortcut menus, changing the toolbar's background, and adding search URLs to it. Extending the Shortcut Menus Right-click a Web page, and Internet Explorer displays a shortcut menu. You can customize this shortcut menu by adding commands to it that you link to scripts in an HTML file. For example, you can add a command to the shortcut menu that opens the current Web page in a new window or highlights the selected text on it. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\MenuExt is where Internet Explorer looks for extensions. Add this key if it doesn't exist, and then add a subkey for each command that you want to add. Then set that subkey's default value to the path and name of the HTML file containing the script that carries out the command. For example, to add the command Magnify to the shortcut menu that runs the script in the HTML file C:\Windows \Web\Magnify.htm, add the subkey Magnify and set its default value to C:\Windows\Web\Magnify.htm. When you choose this command on Internet Explorer's shortcut menu, it executes the script that the file contains. Then you need to create Magnify.htm. The following listing is the contents of Magnify.htm. external.menuArguments is a property that contains the window object in which you executed the command. Because you have access to the window object, you can do almost anything you like in that window, such as reformatting its contents, and so on. Listing 4-6: Magnify.htm 98 <HTML> <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" defer> var objWin = external.menuArguments; var objDoc = objWin.document; var objSel = objDoc.selection; var objRange = objSel.createRange(); objRange.execCommand("FontSize", 0, "+2"); </SCRIPT> </HTML> You can configure the shortcut menus to which Internet Explorer adds your command. In the subkey you created for the extension, add the REG_DWORD value Contexts, and apply the bit masks shown in Table 4-5 (on the next page) to it. For example, to limit the previous example so that Internet Explorer displays it only for text selections, add the REG_DWORD value Contexts to Magnify, and set it to 0x10. Table 4-5: Internet Explorer Menu Extensions Bit mask Menu 0x01 Default 0x02 Image 0x04 Control 0x08 Table 0x10 Text Selection 0x11 Anchor 0x12 Unknown NoteIf you're interested in learning more about extending Internet Explorer, you should check out Microsoft'sdocumentationforextendingthebrowser.Youfind itat http://msdn.microsoft.com/workshop/browser/ext/overview/overview.asp. This requires proficiency with writing scripts and HTML, though. Changing the Toolbar Background You can customize the background you see on Internet Explorer's toolbar. It's just a bitmap. To changethebackground,createaREG_SZvaluecalledBackBit mapin HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar. Set this value to the path and name of the bitmap file you want to see in the toolbar's background. Internet Explorer tiles the bitmap horizontally and vertically to fill the toolbar. Customizing Search URLs Search URLs are a convenient way to use different Internet search engines. For example, you might have a search URL called news that searches Google Groups. Type news Jerry Honeycutt in the address bar to automatically search Google Groups for all UseNet articles that contain the words Jerry and Honeycutt. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL is where you create search URLs. If you don't see this subkey, create it. Then add a subkey for each search prefix you want to use. To use the example I just gave, create the subkey news. Set the default value of the prefix's subkey to the URL of the search engine. Use %s as a placeholder for the search string. Internet Explorer replaces 99 Add the REG_SZ values shown in Table 4-6 to the prefix key you created. The purpose of these values is to describe what to substitute for special characters in your search string, including a space, percent sign (%), ampersand (&), and plus sign (+). These characters have special meaning when submitting forms to Web sites, so you must substitute a plus sign for a space, for example, or %26 for an ampersand. Thus, the browser translates the string Ben & Jerry to Ben+%26+Jerry. Table 4-6: Values in Search URLs Name Data <space> + % %25 & %26 + %2B Deriving the URL that you must use is easy. Open the search engine that you want to add to Internet Explorer's search URLs, and then search for something. When the browser displays the results, copy the URL from the address bar, replacing your search word with a %s. For example, aftersearchingGoogleGroupsforsample,theresultingURLis http://groups.google.com/groups?q=sample&hl=en. Replace the word sample with %s to get http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%s&hl=en. This hack is so useful that I have a script that automatically creates search URLs for the search engines I use most often. Copy the following listing to the file Search.inf, right-click it, and then click Install. You can remove this script and all its settings using Add Or Remove Programs. This script creates search URLs for the five search engines that I use most often. The search URL news searches Google Groups; msn searches MSN; ms searches Microsoft's Web site; msdn searches MSDN; and technet searches TechNet. Listing 4-7: Search.inf [Version] Signature=$CHICAGO$ [DefaultInstall] AddReg=Reg.Settings AddReg=Reg.Uninstall CopyFiles=Inf.Copy [DefaultUninstall] DelReg=Reg.Settings DelReg=Reg.Uninstall DelFiles=Inf.Copy [Reg.Settings] HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL Explorer\SearchURL\news,,0,"%GOOGLE%" Explorer\SearchURL\news," ",0,"+" Explorer\SearchURL\news,"%",0,"%25" Explorer\SearchURL\news,"&",0,"%26" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\news,"+",0,"%2B" 100 HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\msn,"&",0,"%26" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\msn,"+",0,"%2B" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\ms,,0,"%MICROSOFT%" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\ms," ",0,"+" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\ms,"%",0,"%25" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\ms,"&",0,"%26" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\ms,"+",0,"%2B" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\msdn,,0,"%MSDN%" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\msdn," ",0,"+" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\msdn,"%",0,"%25" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\msdn,"&",0,"%26" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\msdn,"+",0,"%2B" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\technet,,0,"%TECHNET%" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\technet," ",0,"+" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\technet,"%",0,"%25" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\technet,"&",0,"%26" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\technet,"+",0,"%2B" [Reg.Uninstall] HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\%NAME% HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\%NAME%,DisplayName\ ,,"%NAME%" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\%NAME%,UninstallString\ ,,"Rundll32.exe setupapi.dll,InstallHinfSection DefaultUninstall 132"\ "%53%\Application Data\Custom\Search.inf" [Inf.Copy] Search.inf [DestinationDirs] Inf.Copy=53,Application Data\Custom [SourceDisksNames] 55=%DISKNAME% [SourceDisksFiles] Search.inf=55 [Strings] NAME = "Jerry's IE Search URLs" DISKNAME = "Setup Files" ; Search URLs GOOGLE = "http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%s&hl=en" MSN = "http://search.msn.com/results.asp?RS=CHECKED&FORM=MSNH&v= MICROSOFT = "http://search.microsoft.com/default.asp?so=RECCNT&siteid= "nq=NEW&qu=%s&IntlSearch=&boolean=ALL&ig=1&ig=3&ig=5&ig=7&ig=9&ig=2&ig= "ig=8&ig=10&i=00&i=02&i=04&i=06&i=08&i=01&i=03&i=05&i=07&i=09" MSDN = "http://search.microsoft.com/default.asp?qu=%s&boolean=ALL& "so=RECCNT&p=1&ig=01&i=00&i=01&i=02&i=03&i=04&i=05&i=06&i=07&i=08&i=09& "i=11&i=12&i=13&i=14&i=15&i=16&i=17&i=18&i=19&i=20&i=21&i=22&i=23&i=24& "i=26&i=27&i=28&i=29&i=30&i=31&i=32&i=33&i=34&i=35&i=36&i=37&i=38&i=39& "i=41&i=42&i=43&i=44&i=45&i=46&i=47&i=48&i=49&i=50&i=51&siteid=us/dev" TECHNET = "http://search.microsoft.com/default.asp?qu=%s&boolean=ALL& "so=RECCNT&p=1&ig=01&ig=02&ig=03&ig=04&i=00&i=01&i=02&i=03&i=04&i=05&i= "i=08&i=09&i=10&i=11&i=12&i=13&i=14&i=15&i=16&i=17&i=18&i=19&i=20&i=21& 101 Clearing History Lists So that you can quickly open documents and programs you use frequently, Windows XP keeps history lists. These are MRU or most recently used lists. Table 4-7 shows you where in the registry the operating system stores these lists. Clear these lists by removing the keys associated with them. After removing the RecentDocs key, make sure you delete the contents of %USERPROFILE%\Recent, too. Table 4-7: History Lists Location Subkey Internet Explorer's address bar HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\TypedURLs Run dialog box HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RunMRU Documents menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RecentDocs Common dialog HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ComDlg32 boxes \LastVisitedMRU Search Assistant HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Search Assistant\ACMru 5001. Internet 5603. Files and folders 5604. Pictures, music, and video 5647. Printers, computers, and people Search Assistant's history list deserves a bit more attention. The key ACMru contains a variety of subkeys, depending on the types of things for which you've searched. For example, if you search for files and folders, you'll see the subkey 5603, which contains a list of the different search strings. If you search the Internet using Search Assistant, you'll see the subkey 5001. You can remove each subkey individually to clear a specific type of query's history list, or you can remove the key ACMru to clear all of Search Assistant's history lists. The table contains a list of the subkeys that I've found in ACMru. Running Programs at Startup The Run and RunOnce subkeys are useful for running programs automatically when the computer starts or when users log on to the computer. In fact, these keys are a handy way to deploy software that requires administrator privileges. You learn about this use for these keys in Chapter 15, "Working Around IT Problems." The Run and RunOnce keys are in two different locations. First you see these subkeys in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion. Commands here run when any user logs ontothecomputer.Youalsoseethesesubkeysin 102 commands in RunOnce: Run. Windows XP runs the commands in this subkey every time a user logs computer. • RunOnce. Windows XP runs the commands in this subkey once and then removes from RunOnce after the command completes successfully. • To add a command to Run or RunOnce in HKLM or HKCU, create a REG_SZ value arbitrary but descriptive name. Put the command line you want to execute in the new example, the Run key in HKCU has the value MSMSGS by default, and this value "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background, which runs Windows Messenger time the user logs on to Windows XP. Although you might have occasion to add commands Run subkey, it's more common to remove commands from this subkey to prevent programs running when you start or log on to Windows XP. Controlling Registry Editor Registry Editor (Regedit) has a few features that most users like but some prefer to disable. following sections show you how to customize these features. First you customize the default for REG files. In other words, you can control what Regedit does when you double-click the .reg extension. Second you prevent Regedit from saving its settings when you close so, Regedit opens the window to the same size and position every time. Default Action for REG Files When you double-click a file with the .reg extension, Regedit imports the file's settings registry after you click Yes when it prompts you to merge the file's settings. If you edit frequently, this behavior might concern you because you might accidentally import a REG you meant to edit it. Conversely, if you frequently import REG files, you might want Regedit from prompting you to merge the file's settings into the registry. Here are how to both tasks: Prevent Regedit from automatically importing REG files. To do this, you must default action for REG files something other than opening the file, such as editing do that, set the default value of HKCR\regfile\shell to edit. The next time you doubleREG file, it'll open in Notepad. • Merge a REG file into the registry without prompting. To do this, change the line that Windows XP executes when you open the file. Set the default HKCR\regfile\shell\open\command to regedit.exe /s "%1". • Storing Window Position and Size Each time you close Regedit, the program stores its view settings (window position column sizes, last open key, and so on) in the registry. The next time you run Regedit, the window using those settings. Many users like Regedit to forget these settings, doesn't provide an option to do that. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Regedit is the key in which 103 so Regedit uses defaults every time it starts, or customize them so Regedit uses your settings every time it starts. In either case, set the key's ACL so you can read but not write In Regedit, click the key Applets\Regedit. 1. On the Edit menu, click Permissions. 2. Click Advanced, clear the Inherit From Parent The Permission Entries That Apply Objects check box, click Copy, and then click OK. 3. In the Group Or User Names list, select each account and group; then clear the check box. Note See Chapter 7, "Managing Registry Security," for more information configuring keys' ACLs. In particular, if you decide that you don't customization, you'll have to take ownership of the key to gain full it again, assuming that you don't already own the key. 4. Logging On Automatically Some users don't like having to log on to Windows XP. When they restart the computer, to boot all the way to the desktop without stopping at the Log On To Windows dialog box way. Before I tell you that this is possible (oops), let me add that you should never skip process if your computer is connected to a business network. Obvious security concerns present when you allow anyone with access to your computer to have full access contents and the network. HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon is where you configure ability to log on to Windows XP automatically. First you set the REG_SZ value AutoAdminLogon 1, which turns on this feature. Just remember that this is a REG_SZ value and not a REG_ value. Next set the values DefaultUserName and DefaultPassword to the user name and that you want to use to log on to the operating system. Both are REG_SZ values. Last, REG_SZ value DefaultDomainName to the name of the domain that's authenticating your password. Table 4-8 summarizes these values, which you create if they don't already exist. Table 4-8: Values in Winlogon Name Type Data HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon AutoAdminLogon REG_SZ 0 | 1 DefaultUserName REG_SZ Name DefaultDomainName REG_SZ Domain DefaultPassword REG_SZ Password Changing User Information On a regular basis, I get asked questions about changing user information. That's the you provided when you installed Windows XP. You can change it. Both of the following values 104 RegisteredOrganization. The name of the organization • RegisteredOwner. The name of the user • Both are REG_SZ values. Changing the registered organization and owner names doesn't installed applications. However, applications you install after changing these values are up the new names. Looking for More Hacks This chapter just scratches the surface. If I had the space, I could fill another 50 pages Windows XP hacks. But you do find good hacks in other chapters: Chapter 5, "Mapping Tweak UI," shows you where all the settings in Tweak UI registry. Tweak UI makes the most popular hacks available in one sleek user interface, this chapter documents the corresponding hacks. • Chapter 8, "Finding Registry Settings," helps you discover your own hacks. • Chapter 15, "Working Around IT Problems," contains hacks that apply to IT scenarios, as deploying software or fixing IT-unfriendly behavior. • Appendix A, "File Associations," describes HKCR in detail, including hacking it. • And don't forget the chapters in Part IV, "Appendices." These chapters are the ultimate registry hacks because they document the most interesting settings found in the registry. NoteQuite possibly the single largest and most usable source of registry hacks is published WinGuides at http://www.winguides.com/registry. Download the Registry Guide, HTML help file that's well organized and formatted. This guide contains hundreds thousands of useful settings that enable you to customize all versions of Windows. useful and popular Web site is Jerold Schulman's at http://www.jsiinc.com. significant energy into the thousands of IT tips and tricks on his Web site. 105 Overview Microsoft Tweak UI is a must-have tool for anyone customizing Microsoft Windows XP. users from opening the registry and customizing settings that aren't available in the system's user interface. Tweak UI started as a grassroots utility built by a handful of programmers and ended up one of the most popular downloads on the Internet. Microsoft released versions of this tool for every version of Windows since Microsoft Windows company even included it on the Microsoft Windows 98 CD. And now, it's available for Windows and it includes even more customizations. You can download Tweak UI from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads (Microsoft split MicrosoftPower-Toysprogramsapart).Youcanalsodownloa http://downloads-zdnet.com.com, one of my favorite download Web sites. The file you download called TweakUiPowertoy-Setup.exe. Run this program to install Tweak UI on your computer. Tweak UI, click Start, All Programs, Powertoys for Windows XP, and Tweak UI for Windows the left pane, click a category, and then in the right pane, edit the settings you want to change. program is mostly self-explanatory; you see a description of each setting at the bottom window. Pay attention to the bottom part of the windows. It tells you whether the settings category are per-user or per-machine. Per-user settings sometimes require you to log off on to Windows XP in order for them to take affect. Per-machine settings affect every user on to the computer. This chapter isn't about using Tweak UI—that's too easy. Instead, I'll tell you where in Tweak UI changes each setting. Information like this is powerful. You can script customizations. For example, power users can write a script to apply their favorite settings, and then apply all those settings to every computer they use simply by running The process is streamlined—compare one double-click to dozens of clicks and edits consistency doesn't hurt, either. IT professionals can write a script to deploy useful settings or include those settings in default user profiles for new users (see Chapter 10, "Deploying Profiles"). Scripting these settings is amazingly easy, and you learn how to do that in "Scripting Registry Changes." The sections in this chapter correspond to the major categories in Tweak UI. (I skipped and Repair categories because they have little to do with the registry. You should look though. The About category contains useful tips for using Windows XP. The Repair category a variety of small problems, including messed up icons, fonts, and folders.) Each section brief description of the settings in that category and how to change them in the registry. cases, each section contains a table that describes each setting's value name, value value data. Each table contains subheadings that show the key for the values following it. General The items in the Settings list in the General category are effects that you can enable or fact, the Settings list, shown in Figure 5-1, used to be called the Effects list in earlier Tweak UI. Settings range from list box and window animations to menu fading. Disable settings only on slower computers when you think you can improve the user interface's otherwise, these settings make Windows XP look great. 106 Figure 5-1: Many of these settings are in the Performance Options dialog box. Right-click Computer, click Properties, and in the Performance area of the Advanced tab of the Properties dialog box, click Settings. You see all the settings in the General category in Table 5-1. One value needs a bit of explaining, though: UserPreferencesMask. The bits in this REG_BINARY value are various settings, Chapter 4, "Hacking the Registry," and Appendix B, "Per-User Settings," describe in detail. on a setting, set the appropriate bit to 1 in UserPreferencesMask. To turn off a setting, corresponding bit. The number in the Data column tells you which bit to toggle. The easiest toggle the bit is to use Calculator in scientific mode. Bitwise math is beyond most simple techniques, including REG files. If you want to create a script to change the settings UserPreferencesMask, use INF files or look to Windows Scripting Host (see Chapter 9, Registry Changes"). Table 5-1: Values in General Setting Name Type Data HKCU\Control Panel\Sound Beep on errors Beep REG_SZ Yes | No HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop Enable combo box animation UserPreferencesMask REG_BINARY Bit 0x0004 Enable cursor shadow UserPreferencesMask REG_BINARY Bit 0x2000 Enable list box animation UserPreferencesMask REG_BINARY Bit 0x0008 Enable menu animation UserPreferencesMask REG_BINARY Bit 0x0002 Enable menu fading UserPreferencesMask REG_BINARY Bit 0x0200 Enable menu selection fading UserPreferencesMask REG_BINARY Bit 0x0400 Enable mouse hot tracking effects UserPreferencesMask REG_BINARY Bit 0x0080 Enable tooltip animation UserPreferencesMask REG_BINARY Bit 0x0800 107 Enable tooltip fade UserPreferencesMask REG_BINARY Bit 0x1000 Show Windows version on desktop PaintDesktopVersion REG_DWORD 0X00 | 0X01 HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics Enable Window Animation MinAnimate REG_SZ 0 | 1 TipUserPreferencesMask is an example of a REG_DWORD value disguised as a REG_BINARY value. When you see a 32-bit binary value, chances are, it's really a double-word value. In that case, you can safely replace the value with a REG_DWORD. Don't forget that Windows XP uses the little-endian architecture, though, so it stores double-word values in reverse-byte order. In other words, you replace the REG_BINARY value 0x04 0x03 0x02 0x01 with the REG_DWORD 0x01020304. See Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics," for a refresher on little-endian architecture and bitwise math. Tracking Down Tweak UI Settings Are you curious about how I tracked down all the Tweak UI program's settings? I used the techniques you learn about in Chapter 8, "Finding Registry Settings." The first technique is a program from Winternals Software called Registry Monitor that monitors access to the registry. It reports every setting that Windows XP or other programs read or write. The second technique, and the one that I used most, is to compare snapshots of the registry before and after making the change. Here's how that process worked for me while writing this chapter: Export the branch of the registry that you suspect contains the setting to a REG file. If in doubt, export the entire registry. Name the file Before.reg. 1. Change the setting. In this case, change a setting in Tweak UI. 2. Export the same branch of the registry that you exported in step 1. Name the file After.reg. 3. Compare both files; the differences between them represent the changes in the registry. 4. The primary tool that I use to compare REG files is Windiff, which comes with the Windows XP Support Tools and the Windows 2000 Resource Kit. If you don't have Windiff, you can use Microsoft Word 2002 just as effectively: Open the first REG file in Word, and then click Tools, Compare And Merge Documents to compare it to the second file. Focus When an application needs your attention—or when it simply wants to annoy you—it steals the focus from the application in which you're currently working. This leads to frustration as you flip back and forth between windows. The settings in the Focus category prevent that scenario by causing applications to flash their taskbar buttons to get your attention rather than stealing focus from the application in the foreground. Table 5-2 describes the settings in the Focus category. The default value for ForegroundLockTimeout is 0x00030D40, or 200000. This value is the time in milliseconds before Windows XP allows an application to steal the focus from the foreground application. To convert 200000 to seconds, divide it by 1000 (200 seconds). You see the value ForegroundFlashCount in the table twice, because setting it to 0 causes the taskbar button to flash until you click it; otherwise, the taskbar button flashes the number of times you set in ForegroundFlashCount. 108 Setting Name Type Data HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop Prevent applications from stealing focus ForegroundLockTimeout REG_DWORD N Flash taskbar button until I click on it ForegroundFlashCount REG_DWORD 0x00 Flash taskbar button N times ForegroundFlashCount REG_DWORD N Mouse The settings in the Mouse category control the rodent's sensitivity. Before adjusting these manually, use Tweak UI to figure out what the best settings are for you. You can use the shown in Figure 5-2, to try different values. After you've settled on a value, you're good to Figure 5-2: Use Tweak UI to find suitable values before trying to set mouse sensitivity values manually. The first value in Table 5-3 (on the next page), MenuShowDelay, is the time in milliseconds Windows XP waits before opening a menu to which you point. The default is 400, or .4 seconds, you can cut that number in half if you want menus to open faster. The values DragHeight DragWith are the settings that specify the distance (in number of pixels) that you must mouse with a button held down before Windows XP recognizes that you're dragging something. default value is 4 pixels, and you should keep the height and width the same as each other. two values, DoubleClickHeight and DoubleClickWidth, are the settings that specify the distance (in pixels) allowed between two mouse clicks before Windows XP recognizes double-clicking something. The default value is 2. These are REG_SZ values; Windows decimal rather than hexadecimal numbers. Table 5-3: Values in Mouse Setting Name Type Data 109 HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop Menu speed MenuShowDelay REG_SZ 0 to 65534 Drag DragHeight DragWidth REG_SZ 0 to N HKCU\Control Panel\Mouse Double-click DoubleClickHeight DoubleClickWidth REG_SZ 0 to N Hover The settings in the Hover category are similar to the settings in the Mouse category. They the size of the area in pixels and the time in milliseconds that the mouse pointer must remain spot before Windows XP recognizes that the mouse is hovering over something. describes the values for this category. The default sensitivity is 2, and you should keep and width equal to each other. The default hover time is 400. Cut that number in half objects quicker when you point to them. If you don't see these values in the registry, create Table 5-4: Values in Hover Setting Name Type Data HKCU\Control Panel\Mouse Hover sensitivity MouseHoverWidth MouseHoverHeight REG_SZ 0 to N Hover time (ms) MouseHoverTime REG_SZ 0 to N Wheel The setting in the Wheel category controls the mouse wheel. The value WheelScrollLines value in Table 5-5. That's because the three different options in this category relate to data you can assign to this value. The default is 3, which enables the mouse wheel to scroll at a time. Table 5-5: Values in Wheel Setting Name Type Data HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop Use mouse wheel for scrolling WheelScrollLines REG_SZ 0 Scroll a page at a time WheelScrollLines REG_SZ -1 Scroll N lines at a time WheelScrollLines REG_SZ 0 to N X-Mouse The settings in the X-Mouse category, as described in Table 5-6, used to be one of customizations. I liked the idea of windows popping to the foreground when I pointed at them. annoying after a while, but it's a novelty you should try because you might like it. Here's each of these settings: 110 Autoraise when activating. Brings the window that has focus to the foreground. • Activation delay (ms). Specifies the delay (in milliseconds) before Windows XP brings the window to which you pointed to the foreground. • Table 5-6: Values in X-Mouse Setting Name Type Data HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop Activation follows mouse (X-Mouse) UserPreferencesMask REG_BINARY Bit 0x0001 Autoraise when activating UserPreferencesMask REG_BINARY Bit 0x0040 Activation delay (ms) ActiveWndTrkTimeout REG_DWORD 0 to N These settings in the value UserPreferencesMask are bits, which you learned about earlier in this chapter. The default value for ActiveWndTrkTimeout is 0, but 400 is a more reasonable delay. A higher timeout prevents windows from flipping between the foreground and background, making this feature much less annoying and more useful. Explorer The settings in the Explorer category are all over the map: You can customize the Start menu, enable smooth scrolling, and automatically clear the document history. Table 5-7 on the next page maps the settings in this category to their registry values. Create any keys and values that you don't see in the registry. Table 5-7: Values in Explorer Setting Name Type Data HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop Enable smooth scrolling SmoothScroll REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main Use Classic Search in Internet Explorer Use Search Asst REG_SZ Yes | No HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer Manipulate connected files as a unit NoFileFolderConnection REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 Prefix "Shortcut to" on new shortcuts Link REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced Detect accidental double-clicks UseDoubleClickTimer REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CabinetState Use Classic Search in Explorer Use Search Asst REG_SZ Yes | No HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer Allow Help on Start Menu NoSMHelp REG_DWORD 111 0x00 | 0x01 Allow Logoff on Start Menu NoLogoff REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 Allow Recent Documents on Start Menu NoRecentDocsMenu REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 Allow Web content to be added to the desktop NoActiveDesktop REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 Clear document history on exit ClearRecentDocsOnExit REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 Enable Windows+X hotkeys NoWinKeys REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 Lock Web content NoActiveDesktopChanges REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 Maintain document history NoRecentDocsHistory REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 Maintain network history NoRecentDocsNetHood REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 Show My Documents on classic Start Menu NoSMMyDocs REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 Show My Pictures on classic Start Menu NoSMMyPictures REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 Show Network Connections on classic Start Menu NoNetworkConnections REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 You'll notice that the setting Show Links On Favorites Menu is missing from Table 5-7. This is because that setting isn't in the registry. When you disable the Links menu, Tweak UI simply sets the Links folder's hidden attribute. Enable the folder, and Tweak UI clears the Links folder's hidden attribute. This is the only way to prevent Internet Explorer from displaying the Links folder on the Favorites menu. NoteMost of the settings in this category are policies, and you must pay attention to how the settings are phrased. For example, the Tweak UI setting Allow Help On Start Menu is positive. The corresponding value NoSMHelp is negative, which is true of most policies, as you will learn in Chapter 6, "Managing Registry Policies." Thus, to enable Help on Start Menu, you must disable NoSMHelp. To disable Help on Start Menu, you must enable NoSMHelp. Shortcut When you create a shortcut, Windows XP adds an overlay to the original document's icon so you can easily identify it as a shortcut. The Shortcut category enables you to customize that overlay. You can choose not to add an overlay, to add a light arrow, to use the normal arrow, or to use a custom icon as the overlay. Table 5-8 shows the value and data that Tweak UI uses for shortcuts. Table 5-8: Values in Shortcut Setting Name Type Data HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ShellIcons Arrow 29 REG_SZ null 112 Light Arrow 29 REG_SZ C:\WINDOWS\system32\tweakui.exe,2 None 29 REG_SZ C:\WINDOWS\system32\tweakui.exe,3 Custom 29 REG_SZ filename, index HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ShellIcons is the key customize the shortcut overlay. Create this key if you don't see it in the registry. You REG_SZ value 29, and set it to filename, index, where filename is the name of the file the icon, and index is the index of that icon. For more information about using icons, see "Hacking the Registry." Tweak UI removes 29 from ShellIcons if you choose the default sets29toC:\WINDOWS\system32\tweakui.exe,2foralight C:\WINDOWS\system32\tweakui.exe,3 for no arrow. Colors Table 5-9, on the next page, describes the values in the Colors category. Create any you don't see in the registry. HotTrackingColor is a string value, and Windows XP expects value in decimal notation. For example, white is 255 255 255. The operating system expects RGB values in hexadecimal for the remaining values. Windows XP uses each color as follows: Hot-tracking. Windows XP displays file names in this color when you point to you've enabled the single-click user interface. • Compressed files. Windows XP displays compressed files in this color. • Encrypted files. Windows XP displays encrypted files in this color. • Table 5-9: Values in Colors Setting Name Type Data HKCU\Control Panel\Colors Hot-tracking HotTrackingColor REG_SZ RRR GGG BBB HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer Compressed files AltColor REG_BINARY 0x RR 0x GG 0x BB 0x00 Encrypted files AltEncryptionColor REG_BINARY 0x RR 0x GG 0x BB 0x00 Thumbnails The Thumbnails category controls the quality of thumbnails in Windows Explorer. Table describes the values for Image Quality and Size. Create values that you don't see in the The default value for ThumbnailQuality is 0x5A. The default value for ThumbnailSize is in mind that higher quality and larger thumbnails require more disk space, which is not problem, but they also take longer to display. Changing the quality does not affect thumbnails already exist on the file system. Table 5-10: Values in Thumbnails Setting Name Type Data HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer Image Quality ThumbnailQuality REG_DWORD 0x32 – 0x64 Size (pixels) ThumbnailSize REG_DWORD 0x20 – 0xFF 113 If you have a keyboard with navigation keys, such as the Microsoft Internet Keyboard Pro keyboard; learn more about it at http://www.microsoft.com/hardware), you can customize example, you can reassign the Calculator key to open your favorite calculator, instead program that comes with Windows XP. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\AppKey is the key customize the navigation keys. If you don't see this key, create it. Look up the keyboard want to customize in Table 5-11, and then add the corresponding subkey to AppKey. subkey, create the REG_SZ value ShellExecute, and set it to the path and file name of you want to execute by pressing that key. If you want to disable the navigation key, empty string. You can restore the original behavior by removing the subkey you added For example, to run PowerToy Calculator by pressing the Calculator key, add 18 to AppKey. create the REG_SZ value ShellExecute in 18, and set it to PowerCalc.exe. Table 5-11: Subkeys for Command Keys Key Subkey Back (Internet browser) 1 Calculator 18 Close 31 Copy 36 Corrections 45 Cut 37 Favorites 6 Find 28 Forward (Internet browser) 2 Forward (mail) 40 Help 27 Lower microphone volume 25 Mail 15 Media 16 Mute microphone 24 Mute volume 8 My Computer 17 New 29 Open 30 Paste 38 Print 33 Raise microphone volume 26 Redo 35 Refresh (Internet browser) 3 Reply 39 Save 32 Search 5 114 Send 41 Spelling checker 42 Stop (Internet browser) 4 Toggle dictation and command/control 43 Toggle microphone 44 Undo 34 WebHome 7 Common Dialog Boxes The common dialog boxes, such as the Save As dialog box, display the places bar on the left These are shortcuts to common folders, which make getting around much easier. By default, see the History, Documents, Desktop, Favorites, and My Network Places folders there. You customize the folders that appear in the places bar by using the Common Dialogs category Tweak UI (see Figure 5-3 on the next page). Figure 5-3: Make network document folders easily accessible by adding them to the places bar. First things first: Table 5-12 describes the settings that enable you to remove the Back button history from common dialog boxes. You can also hide the places bar altogether by setting the value NoPlacesBar to 0x01. Create this value if it doesn't exist. Table 5-12: Values in Common Dialog Boxes Setting Name Type Data HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\comdlg32 Show Back button on File Open/Save dialog box NoBackButton REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 Remember previously-used file names NoFileMru REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 Hide places bar NoPlacesBar REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 115 the REG_DWORD values Place0, Place1, Place2, Place3, and Place4. These correspond five available buttons from top to bottom. The common dialog boxes will display only specified by these values; if there is a PlacesBar subkey with no values, an empty places displayed. Then set Places N to one of the settings in shown in Table 5-13. For example, second button to My Music, create the REG_DWORD value Places1 in PlacesBar, and 0x0D. You're not limited to the folders you see in Table 5-13, by the way. You can Places N value as a REG_SZ and then add the path of any folder. To restore the default remove the PlacesBar subkey and remove the NoPlacesBar value. Table 5-13: Folders for the Places Bar Folder Value Desktop 0x00 Favorites 0x06 My Documents 0x05 My Music 0x0D My Computer 0x11 Network Neighborhood 0x12 History 0x22 My Pictures 0x27 Recent Documents 0x08 Taskbar Table 5-14 describes the settings in the Taskbar category. Most notably, you can disable tips by setting the REG_DWORD value EnableBallonTips to 0x00. Create this value already exist. Table 5-14: Values in Taskbar Setting Name Type Data HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced Enable balloon tips EnableBalloonTips REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer Warn when low on disk space NoLowDiskSpaceChecks REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 Grouping The settings in the Grouping category, as described in Table 5-15, enable you to buttons group on the taskbar. Using the TaskbarGroupSize value, which you create already exist, you determine the applications that Windows XP collapses into groups first: Group least used applications first. Windows XP groups least frequently applications first, and groups more frequently used applications as necessary. • Group applications with the most windows first. Windows XP groups applications • 116 Group any application with at least N windows. Windows XP groups applications have N windows open on the desktop. • Table 5-15: Values in Grouping Setting Name Type Data HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced Group least used applications first TaskbarGroupSize REG_DWORD 0x00 Group applications with the most windows first TaskbarGroupSize REG_DWORD 0x01 Group any application with at least N windows TaskbarGroupSize REG_DWORD N Windows XP uses the same REG_DWORD value for all three cases. If you set TaskbarGroupSizeto 0x00, Windows XP uses least-used grouping. If you set it to 0x01, Windows most-windows grouping. Finally, if you set it to any other value, Windows XP groups any application that has that number of open windows. XP Start Menu Windows XP displays the most frequently used programs on the bottom of the Start menu. handy feature prevents you from having to hunt for applications you use often. Some applications don't belong on this list, however. I tire of seeing Notepad on the Start menu just because happened to use it to view a text file. I also don't like seeing Command Prompt on the Start every time I type cmd in the Run dialog box. The solution is to tell Windows XP which applications you don't want it to add to the Start menu. Do that in the key HKCU\Software\Classes\Applications. In Table 5-16, look up the application that you want to keep off the Start menu's list of used programs. If you don't find the program in Table 5-16, find the program's file name in the Program Files folder or at the program's shortcut on the Start menu. Then add a Applications, in which the name of the subkey is the program's file name (omit the path). REG_SZ value NoStartPage to the program's subkey, and leave it blank. For example, NotepadofftheStartmenu,createthesubkeyNotepad. HKCU\Software\Classes\Applications, and add the value NoStartPage. Table 5-16: Values in XP Start Menu Application File Name Accessibility Wizard Accwiz.exe Address book Wab.exe Backup Ntbackup.exe Calculator Calc.exe Character map Charmap.exe Command prompt Cmd.exe Data sources (ODBC) Odbcad32.exe Narrator Narrator.exe Notepad Notepad.exe On-Screen Keyboard Osk.exe Outlook Express Msimn.exe 117 Paint Mspaint.exe Pinball Pinball.exe Remote Assistance Rcimlby.exe Disk cleanup Cleanmgr.exe FreeCell Freecell.exe Files and Settings Transfer Wizard Migwiz.exe Hearts Mshearts.exe HyperTerminal Hypertrm.exe Internet Backgammon Bckgzm.exe Internet Checkers Chkrzm.exe Internet Explorer Iexplore.exe Internet Hearts Hrtzzm.exe Internet Reversi Rvsezm.exe Internet Spades Shvlzm.exe Magnifier Magnify.exe Minesweeper Winmine.exe MSN Explorer Msn6.exe Remote Desktop Connection Mstsc.exe Solitaire Sol.exe Sound Recorder Sndrec32.exe Spider Solitaire Spider.exe System Information Msinfo32.exe System Restore Rstrui.exe Tour Windows XP Tourstart.exe Utility Manager Utilman.exe Windows Media Player Wmplayer.exe Windows Messenger Msmsgs.exe Windows Movie Maker Moviemk.exe Windows Update Wupdmgr.exe WordPad Wordpad.exe Desktop One of the most popular customizations for Windows 98 was to remove the icons from the That meant users did not display the My Documents icon and the Network Neighborhood Windows XP caught up with users' tastes and displays only the Recycle Bin icon on the default. If you miss the good old days, you can add the icons back to the desktop. Use the category Desktop. Table 5-17 describes the values corresponding to each icon. Add each the subkey NewStartPanel, creating it if it doesn't exist, and set it to 0x00 to hide the icon display the icon. Table 5-17: Values in Desktop 118 Setting Name Type Data HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\New StartPanel Internet Explorer {871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D} REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 My Computer {20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 My Documents {450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103} REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 My Network Places {208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D} REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 Recycle Bin {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E} REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 First Icon Using the First Icon category, choose the icon that you want to appear first on the desktop: My Documents or My Computer. Table 5-18 describes the settings you need to apply for either scenario. Table 5-18: Values in First Icon Setting Name Type Data HKCR\CLSID\{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103} My Documents SortOrderIndex REG_DWORD 0x48 My Computer SortOrderIndex REG_DWORD 0x54 My Computer Determine which icons you see in My Computer using the My Computer Category. Table 5-19 describes the settings you must apply to show the Control Panel and Files Stored On This Computer icons in My Computer. Table 5-19: Values in My Computer Setting Name Type Data HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideMyComputerIcons Control Panel {21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D} REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer Files Stored on This Computer NoSharedDocuments REG_DWORD 0x00 | 0x01 Drives Windows XP can hide drive letters. You hide them by setting NoDrives in the key HKCU \Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer, but it's easier using the Tweak UI category Drives. The trick is figuring out the value to put in the REG_BINARY value NoDrives. 119 you want to hide. This math is easier if you use Calculator in Scientific mode. Also, see Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics," for some tips on doing bitwise math. Note Hiding drive letters in Windows XP doesn't prevent users from accessing those drives through other means, including at the MS-DOS command prompt. This setting hides only those drives in Windows Explorer, the common dialog boxes, and so on. Thus, you can't rely on this as a security measure. Special Folders Windows XP users have special folders in their user profiles, such as the My Documents, My Pictures, and Favorites folders. The default location for these folders is in %USERPROFILE%, but you can redirect them to any location, including a location on the network. That's the purpose of the Tweak UI category Special Folders. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders is the key where you find each of these special folders. You learn about them in detail in Chapter 4, "Hacking the Registry," and Chapter 17, "Per-User Settings." In Table 5-20 on the next page, look up the folder you want to redirect. Then in User Shell Folders, change the value shown in the Value Column to the folder's new location. I suggest that you use environment variables, particularly when referencing folders in %USERPROFILE% or %SYSTEMROOT%. The next time you log on to WindowsXP,WindowsXPupdates HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders\ to reflect your changes. After relocating a shell folder, you must manually move your files and folders from the old location to the new location. Table 5-20: Values in Special Folders Folder Value Default path CD Burning CD Burning %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\CD Burning Desktop Desktop %USERPROFILE%\Desktop Document templates Templates %USERPROFILE%\Templates Favorites Favorites %USERPROFILE%\Favorites My Documents Personal %USERPROFILE%\My Documents My Music My Music %USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Music My Pictures My Pictures %USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Pictures Programs Programs %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs Send To SendTo %USERPROFILE%\SendTo Start menu Start Menu %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu Startup Startup %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup TipI always relocate the My Documents, My Pictures, and Favorites folders to a network location. Doing so ensures that I always have access to my documents and Internet shortcuts from any computer on the network. I use Group Policy to automatically redirect the My Documents and My Pictures folders so I don't have to think about it. I use a script to relocate the Favorites folder on each computer that I use, however, because Group Policy doesn't support redirecting 120 AutoPlay All the action in the AutoPlay category is in its subcategories: Drives, Types, and Handlers. Drives category, you can prevent specific drives from playing media automatically when them. You use the value NoDriveAutoRun, which is a REG_BINARY value, just like the value you learned about earlier. For each drive that you want to stop from playing automatically, set the bit, right to left, which corresponds to the drive letters A through NoDriveAutoRunisinthekeyHKCU\Software\Microsoft\W \CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer. The next subcategory is Types. In this category, you can control whether CDs, DVDs, removable drives automatically play when you insert disks. Table 5-21 describes the values correlate to the settings you see in this category. Just like you did with the UserPreferencesMask, you must toggle the bit shown in the Data column. To prevent CD from automatically playing, for example, set bit 0x20 in the REG_DWORD NoDriveTypeAutoRun. Table 5-21: Values in Autoplay Drive Types Setting Name Type Data HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer Enable Autoplay for CD and DVD drives NoDriveTypeAutoRun REG_DWORD Bit 0x20 Enable Autoplay for removable drives NoDriveTypeAutoRun REG_DWORD Bit 0x04 The last subcategory is Handlers. When Windows XP detects that you've inserted a CD, removable disk, it automatically runs the program that it associates with the type of content disk. You control what programs are used with which types of content using the Handlers setting is much easier to configure in Tweak UI than manually, but we'll try it anyway. HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\AutoplayHandlers\EventH andlers is the key where you find these associations. In Table 5-22, look up the type of content you customize. Then open the subkey shown in the Subkey column for EventHandlers. In that add any of the following handlers as an empty REG_SZ value: MSCDBurningOnArrival • MSOpenFolder • MSPlayCDAudioOnArrival • MSPlayDVDMovieOnArrival • MSPlayMediaOnArrival • MSPlayMusicFilesOnArrival • MSPlayVideoFilesOnArrival • MSPrintPicturesOnArrival • MSPromptEachTime • MSPromptEachTimeNoContent • MSShowPicturesOnArrival • MSTakeNoAction • MSVideoCameraArrival • MSWiaEventHandler • 121 Media Subkey Generic GenericVolumeArrival Blank CDR HandleCDBurningOnArrival Mixed content MixedContentOnArrival CD audio PlayCDAudioOnArrival DVD PlayDVDMovieOnArrival Music files PlayMusicFilesOnArrival Video files PlayVideoFilesOnArrival Digital images ShowPicturesOnArrival Video camera VideoCameraArrival Control Panel The Control Panel category enables you to hide specific icons in Control Panel. Create value in the key HKCU\Control Panel\don't load, and name it using the file name of the want to hide. Set the value to Yes to display the icon or No to hide the icon. Table 5-23 file names of the CPL files that come with Windows XP. For example, to hide the Internet icon, add the REG_SZ value Inetcpl.cpl to don't load, and set its value to No. Table 5-23: Values in Control Panel File name Description Access.cpl Accessibility Options Appwiz.cpl Add Or Remove Programs Desk.cpl Display Properties Hdwwiz.cpl Add Hardware Wizard Inetcpl.cpl Internet Properties Intl.cpl Regional and Language Options Joy.cpl Game Controllers Main.cpl Mouse Properties and Keyboard Properties Mmsys.cpl Sounds and Audio Devices Properties Nusrmgr.cpl User Accounts Nwc.cpl Client Service for NetWare Odbccp32.cpl ODBC Data Source Administrator Powercfg.cpl Power Option Properties Sysdm.cpl System Properties Telephon.cpl Phone and Modem Options Timedate.cpl Date and Time Properties Templates Use the Templates category to customize the templates you see when you right-click or the unused space in a folder window, and then click New. Chapter 4, "Hacking the Registry," Appendix A, "File Associations," describe how to build customized templates. Table 5-24 122 to ShellNew-(adds a dash). Table 5-24: Values in Templates Setting Name Type Data HKCR Bitmap Image HKCR\.bmp\ShellNew\NullFile REG_SZ "" Briefcase HKCR\.bfc\ShellNew \Command REG_EXPAND_SZ %SYSTEMROOT%\system32 \rundll32.exe %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\syn-cui.dll,Briefcase_Create %2!d! %1 Compressed (zipped) folder HKCR\.zip \CompressedFolder \ShellNew\Data REG_BINARY 0x50 0x4B 0x05 0x06 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 0x00 Rich Text Document HKCR\.rtf\ShellNew \Data REG_SZ {\rtf1} Text Document HKCR\.txt\ShellNew \NullFile REG_SZ "" Wave Sound HKCR\.wav\ShellNew \FileName REG_SZ sndrec.wav WordPad Document HKCR\.doc \WordPad.Document.1 \ShellNew\NullFile REG_SZ "" Internet Explorer Table 5-25 describes the settings that Tweak UI establishes when you customize Internet Explorer and Windows Explorer toolbars with a bitmap image. These settings are in the Internet Explorer category. Table 5-25: Values in Internet Explorer Setting Name Type Data HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar Use custom background for Internet Explorer toolbar BackBitmapIE5 REG_SZ Filename Use custom background for Windows Explorer toolbar BackBitmapShell REG_SZ Filename Search This is my favorite customization. The Tweak UI's category Search enables you to add search URLs to Internet Explorer so that you can use search engines from the browser's address bar. For example, add the prefix news and set its URL to http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%s&hl=en; then you can quickly search Google Groups for Windows XP by typing news Windows XP in the address bar. Figure 5-4 shows a search URL. 123 Figure 5-4: You don't need to download any search add-ins for Internet Explorer when using favorite search engines is this easy. Add the subkey SearchURL to HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer. Then add a each search prefix you want to use. To use the example I just gave you, create the subkey Set the default value of the prefix's subkey, news in this example, to the URL of the search Use the %s as a placeholder for the search string. Internet Explorer replaces the %s with you type to the right of the prefix. Continuing the Google Groups example, you'd set value to http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%s&hl=en. Add the REG_SZ values shown in Table 5-26 to the prefix key you created. The purpose values is to describe what to substitute for special characters in your search string, space, percent sign (%), ampersand (&), and plus sign (+). These characters have special when submitting forms to Web sites, so you must substitute a plus sign for a space, for %26 for an ampersand. Thus, the browser translates the search string Windows XP Bits Windows+XP+Bits+%26+Pieces. Table 5-26: Values in Search Name Data <space> + % %25 & %26 + %2B The only question left now is where to get the URL. That's easy. Open the search engine to add to Internet Explorer's search URLs, and then search for something— anything. browser displays the results, copy the URL from the Address bar, replacing your search %s. For example, when searching Google Groups for honeycutt, the results are in a Web the URL http://groups.google.com/groups?q=honeycutt&hl=en. Replace the search word with a %s to get http://groups.google.com/groups?q=%s&hl=en. Note Searching from the address bar doesn't work properly with the original XP RTM (Release to Manufacturing) bits. You must update the operating using Windows Update or with the latest service pack from Microsoft. View Source Use the View Source category in Tweak UI to change the program in which Internet displays a Web page's source. Set the default value of the key HKLM\SOFTWARE\ \Internet Explorer\View Source Editor\Editor Name to the path and file name of the program 124 Command Prompt If you're a command-line junkie like me, you'll appreciate file name and directory completion. MS-DOS command prompt supports both of these features, but you have to enable Table 5-27 describes the settings in the Command Prompt category in Tweak UI. Set CompletionChar to the keystroke you want to use for file name completion, and set PathCompletionChar to the keystroke you want to use for directory completion. You same keystroke for both values. The value you use for key is the ASCII key code. Thus, 0x09. The value WordDelimiters is a string of characters that delimit words on the command when you press Ctrl+Right Arrow or Ctrl+Left Arrow. Create these values if they don't exist. Table 5-27: Values in Command Prompt Setting Name Type Data HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor File name completion CompletionChar REG_DWORD key Directory completion PathCompletionChar REG_DWORD key HKCU\Console Word separators WordDelimiters REG_SZ separators Logon In the Logon category, you toggle Autoexec.bat parsing by setting the REG_ ParseAutoexec in the key HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion \Winlogon 1. Set ParseAutoexec to 0 to prevent Windows XP from parsing Autoexec.bat for environment variables. Otherwise, set ParseAutoexec to 1, and Windows XP will parse it for environment variables. Autologon The last useful category in Tweak UI is Autologon, and it enables you to automatically Windows XP without providing your name, domain, or password. Table 5-27 describes you must set to log on to the computer automatically. Name is the user name, and Domain domain name. To enable Autologon, you must set the REG_SZ value AutoAdminLogon set the value REG_SZ value DefaultPassword in the subkey Winlogon to the password use to automatically log on to the computer. You don't see this value in Tweak UI because the password differently. Table 5-27: Values in Autologon Setting Name Type Data HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon Log on automatically at system startup AutoAdminLogon REG_SZ 0 | 1 User name DefaultUserName REG_SZ Name Domain DefaultDomainName REG_SZ Domain 125 enterprises don't have. Chapter 15, "Working Around IT Problems," discusses setting in detail. 126 Chapter List Chapter 6: Using Registry-Based Policy Chapter 7: Managing Registry Security Chapter 8: Finding Registry Settings Part Overview Managing the registry is easier when you are armed with the right tools. This part describes tools. You learn about registry-based policies and how to use them to manage settings registry. You learn how to track down registry settings and write scripts to change them. learn about registry security. Whereas the first part of this book was for both power users and IT professionals, this more toward IT professionals. Power users can still benefit from giving this part a thorough though, because some of the better customizations are actually policies, and customizing XP is better done through scripts. Still, I give this part an IT slant because these are tools. 127 Overview IT professionals use Group Policy to manage users' desktop environments. First introduced in Microsoft Windows 2000, Group Policy enables you to dramatically reduce the cost of deploying and managing desktops. Part of the trick to this is deploying standard desktop configurations rather than wasting money to support individual users. Using Group Policy in this way enforces corporate standards and configures users' computers, freeing them from this task and enabling them to do their jobs. For example, you enhance productivity by configuring users' applications, data, and settings so they follow users regardless of where users log on to the network. Microsoft Windows XP extends Group Policy with new settings, new features, and significant improvements. In this chapter, I focus on local registry-based policies. Group Policy in the enterprise is a big subject, and one that requires familiarity with Active Directory. At the end of this chapter, however, you'll find a handful of resources that are useful for learning more about both Active Directory and Group Policy. Rather than teach you about sites, domains, and organization units, which are peripherally related to the Windows XP registry, I show you how to implement registrybased policies in a local Group Policy object. This information transfers intact to network Group Policy. Because of the focus of this book—more or less dirty tricks for the IT professional—I also show you how to define your own policies and even deploy Windows XP policies on networks that aren't based on Active Directory, including Microsoft Windows NT and Novell Netware. This chapter is for you whether you're an IT professional or power user. If you're an IT professional, I assume you have the key Active Directory and Group Policy concepts under your belt. And if you're not an IT professional, I don't anticipate that you will try to use this information in an enterprise environment, so this information is fairly complete. For example, power users often define local policies to customize their computers, and this doesn't require a lot of information about Active Directory or policy inheritance. In fact, some of the most popular and interesting customizations are available in Group Policy already, so you don't need to hack the registry at all. Editing Local Policies Policies are different from preferences, and comparing the two helps you better understand how Windows XP uses policies. Users set preferences, such as their desktop wallpaper. They can change preferences any time. Administrators set policies, such as the location of the My Documents folder, and they have precedence over the equivalent user preference. Windows XP stores policies in the registry separately from user preferences. If the policy exists, the operating system uses the setting that policy specifies. If the policy doesn't exist, the operating system uses the user's preference. In the absence of the user's preference, the operating system uses a default setting. The important thing is that a policy does not change the equivalent user preference and, if they both exist at the same time, the policy has precedence. Also, if the administrator removes the policy, the user's preference is once again used. In other words, Group Policy does not tattoo the registry. (See the sidebar "Tattoos on the Registry," later in this chapter.) Table 6-1 summarizes this behavior. Tattoos on the Registry Group Policy and System Policy, policies that versions of Windows earlier than Windows 2000 use, handle changes differently. Windows XP automatically removes a GPO's settings from the registry when the GPO no longer applies to the user or computer. Also, Group Policy doesn't overwrite 128 individual policy from a GPO, Windows XP removes that setting from the registry and restores users' existing preferences. Group Policy doesn't make permanent, irreversible changes to the registry. System Policy does make permanent, irreversible changes to the registry, though. In other words, it tattoos the registry. Removing System Policy leaves all the policies it contained in the registry. The only way to restore users' preferences, assuming these policies don't overwrite their preferences, is to manually remove the policy from the registry or explicitly change the setting in System Policy. This is one of the scenarios you learn to grapple with in Chapter 15, "Working Around IT Problems." One of the nastier incarnations of this behavior can occur when you upgrade from an earlier version of Windows to Windows XP. When you upgrade, policies in the registry are permanent, and you must manually remove them from the registry; Windows XP doesn't remove them automatically. Table 6-1: Policies Compared to Preferences Policy defined? Preference defined? Behavior No No Default No Yes Preference configures Yes No Policy configures Yes Yes Policy configures, ignoring the preference Windows XP combines policies together in a Group Policy object (GPO). In Active Directory, you have multiple GPOs, which apply to users and computers, depending on where they are in the directory. In Windows XP, you have only one GPO, and that's the local GPO. Settings in this GPO apply to the local computer and every user who logs on to it. Because the local GPO is the first GPO that Windows XP applies when it starts and when users log on to it, network GPOs can override settings in it. For example, if you define a local policy that enables you to install Windows Installer-based programs with elevated privileges but the network administrator sets a network policy that disallows that, the network policy wins, and you won't be able to install these programs unless you're a local administrator for that computer; otherwise, you can install Windows Installer-based programs no matter the group in which your account is a member. GPOs include settings for both computer configurations and user configurations. Because Group Policy settings apply to either computers or users, GPOs contain branches for each: Computer Configuration. These are per-computer policy settings that specify operating system behavior, desktop behavior, security settings, computer startup and shutdown scripts, computer-assigned applications, and application settings. Windows XP applies per-computer policies when the operating system starts and at regular intervals. • User Configuration. These are per-user policy settings that specify operating system behavior, desktop settings, security settings, assigned and published applications, folder redirection settings, user logon and logoff scripts, and application settings. Windows XP applies per-user policies when the user logs on to the computer and at regular intervals. • You edit the local GPO using the Group Policy editor, shown in Figure 6-1. To open the Group Policy editor, type gpedit.msc in the Run dialog box. The left and right panes you see in the editor are similar to those in Registry Editor (Regedit), so I won't explain how to use them here. Immediately under Local Computer Policy, you see Computer Configuration and User 129 Templates under either branch. Figure 6-1: The Extended and Standard view tabs are new for Windows XP. Click the Extended to display help for the selected policy setting. Typing gpedit.msc in the Run dialog box is the quick way to edit the local computer's GPO, can create your own console in Microsoft Management Console (MMC) to edit a remote GPO. Editing local policies on a remote computer is useful if your organization isn't using Directory, but it's too cumbersome to use as a general management tool, so I'd use it scenarios: In the Run dialog box, type mmc, and press Enter. 1. On the File menu, click Add/Remove Snap-In. 2. In the Add Standalone Snap-In dialog box, on the Standalone tab, click Add. 3. Click Group Policy, and then click Add. 4. In the Select Group Policy Object dialog box, click Browse. In the Browse For Policy Object dialog box, on the Computers tab, select the Another Computer the remote computer's name in the space provided, and then click OK. Note Windows XP doesn't allow you to specify security settings computer's local GPO. Thus, when you open Security Settings computer, you don't see these settings. Even though you can't settings to remote computers, you can include them in a disk deployment, which you learn more about in the section Registry-Based Policy," later in this chapter. 5. Group Policy Extensions Group Policy has several extensions that you can use to configure GPOs. In fact, different nodes that you see in the Group Policy editor is an extension. By default, the 130 GPO in Active Directory than when you're editing a local GPO. The following list summarizes of the extensions that Group Policy provides in a local GPO (network GPOs provide more): Scripts. You can assign scripts to users that run when they log on to or log off XP. You can assign scripts to computers that run when Windows XP starts and shuts down. You see this extension in the Windows Settings folder. • Security Settings. You can manage security settings, including password, lockout policies. You can also manage user rights and restrict the applications that run. You see this extension in the Windows Settings folder. • Administrative Templates. Group Policy creates a file containing registry settings written to HKCU or HKLM in the registry. Windows XP loads settings from this operating system starts and when users log on to the computer. These are registrypolicies. • Registry-Based Policy Registry-based policies and administrative policies are two names for the same thing. registry settings that override users' preferences, and users can't change them for good that you'll learn about in this section. Other policies, including security settings, might or be registry settings. In the Group Policy editor, you find registrybased policies in the Administrative Templates folder under Computer Configuration or User Configuration. Figure 6-2 on the next page shows the workflow using registry-based policies. Administrators define policies using the Group Policy editor, which you saw in Figure 6-1. Administrative templates, files with the .adm extension, define the policies they can set. Administrative and policy templates are the same thing, and you frequently see the short name ADM templates describe the user interface for collecting settings from the administrator locations in the registry. When the administrator defines policies, the editor stores them called Registry.pol. Windows XP loads the settings contained in the file Registry.pol operating system starts, when users log on to it, and at regular intervals. The next section where in the registry Windows XP stores policies and where you find the Registry.pol file. 131 Figure 6-2: Registry-based policies start with administrative templates, which define the that are available and the location where they are stored in the registry. The following components combine to implement registry-based policy: The Administrative Templates extension, which you use to edit policy settings. extension is the Administrative Templates folder in the editor. It creates the Registry. based on settings that the administrator defines. • 132 client-side extension is responsible for reading settings from the Registry.pol file them to the registry, Windows XP and other applications must look for and settings to give them meaning. Windows XP comes with administrative templates that define all the proper policies operating system supports. If you want to use policies for an application, such as one Office XP, you must load the administrative templates for it. In fact, the Office XP Resource comes with a big handful of administrative templates that help IT professionals better manage entire productivity suite. Windows XP provides the following administrative templates: System.adm. Core settings and primary template file, defining most of the settings in Administrative Templates • Wmplayer.adm. Windows Media settings • Conf.adm. NetMeeting conferencing software • Inetres.adm. Internet Explorer • All registry-based policies can be in one of three states: Enabled, Disabled, or Not Configured. Figure 6-3 shows these settings on a sample policy. Enabled explicitly turns on the adding the setting to the registry with a value of 0x01. Disabled explicitly turns off the adding the setting to the registry with a value of 0x00 or removing the value altogether. Configured option removes the setting from the registry altogether, which yields to preference. Many policies collect additional settings, as shown in the figure. 133 Figure 6-3: Each policy has three states, Enabled, Disabled, or Not Configured, and some collect additional information. When setting a policy, pay particular attention to the language to ensure that you get the want. Some policies are positive, so enabling the policy turns on the feature. Other negative, however, so turning on those policies actually disables those features. To make more confusing, outside of Windows XP, you frequently see policies that you have to then turn the setting on or off. In other words, to turn on a setting, you have to enable the then select or clear a second check box to turn on or off the setting. The Office XP policy are notorious for this extra level of indirection. All this just illustrates that you have to attention to the names of policies when setting them. Read their names out loud, prefixing sentences with the words enable or disable—just to be sure. Group Policy Storage Where does Windows XP store policies in the registry and on the disk? The \Software\Policies is the preferred branch for registry-based policies. This branch in HKLM per-computer policies, and the branch in HKCU contains per-user policies. Another inherited from earlier versions of Windows, is \Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies in this branch tend to tattoo the registry, which means they make permanent changes registry that you must explicitly change. What prevents users from changing these keys, the policies they enforce, is their ACLs (Access Control Lists). The Users and Power groups do not have permission to change values in these keys. An administrator can 134 That covers the location of policies in the registry; now for their location on the file system. GPO is in %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\GroupPolicy. This is a super-hidden folder. To Windows Explorer, click Tools, Options; on the Folder Options dialog box's View tab, Show Hidden Files And Folders option, and then clear the Hide Protected Operating System check box. It contains the following subfolders and files (our focus is the file Registry.pol): \Adm. Contains all the ADM files for the local GPO. • \User. Includes the file Registry.pol, which contains registry-based policies for users. users log on to the computer, Windows XP applies these to HKCU. • \User\Scripts. Contains the local GPO's per-user scripts. The scripts in \Logon users log on to Windows XP, and the scripts in \Logoff run when they log off of the system. • \Machine. Includes the file Registry.pol, which contains registry-based policies computer. When Windows XP starts, it applies these settings to HKLM. • \Machine\Scripts. Contains the local GPO's per-computer scripts. The scripts run when Windows XP starts, and the scripts in \Shutdown run when the operating shuts down. • If you're familiar with System Policy and the file Ntconfig.pol, you're probably wondering files Registry.pol and Ntconfig.pol use similar formats. They don't. Both are binary Registry.pol is much simpler. It contains a simple list of settings, including their value names, and data, in a binary format. Ntconfig.pol is actually a registry hive file that you can load in Regedit. Unfortunately, you can't do the same with Registry.pol. NoteDomain GPOs are more complicated than local GPOs. Active Directory stores \\Server\SYSVOL\Domain\Policies, where Server is the name of the domain controller, Domain is the name of the domain. Each GPO is in a subfolder, and the name subfolder is the GPO's GUID (see Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics"). The structure GPO's subfolder is similar to the structure of the local GPO described in this chapter. \User and \Machine folders have additional subfolders, though, and the various Group extensions create these. Extending Registry-Based Policy You can extend registry-based policy by customizing existing administrative templates creating new ones. Windows XP provides administrative templates for its policies. applications, such as Office XP, also provide templates. When you install the Office XP Kit, it adds the Office XP policy templates to %SYSTEMROOT%\Inf. You should never these templates. You might want to create your own templates that extend registry-based though. First the caveats: Extending registry-based policy is generally something that developers administrators more control over users' applications. Remember that a registrybased policy developers to add code to their applications that read policies and enforce those developers added policies to their code, they almost certainly created policy templates you don't have to. On the other hand, if no code enforces a policy setting, creating an administrative template for it is useless. It almost sounds like extending registry-based policy is futile, there are still times when it's useful and some times that are extremely valuable: 135 beta, the screen saver policy stored the timeout period incorrectly in the registry. fix was to create a custom template for it. Creating custom administrative templates. Windows XP supports hundreds as does Office XP. Hunting for policies is sometimes frustrating. You can create administrative template that assembles all the policies you're deploying in one place, the job a bit easier. You can also rephrase the language of a policy easier-to-understand descriptions. • Customizing Windows XP. Many of the registry settings you can use to Windows XP have no user interface. You can build a user interface for them by administrative template and changing those settings with the Group Policy editor. users, this is a great reason to master this topic. This goes against one of the features of Group Policy, however, because settings you change outside the normal branches in the registry will tattoo the registry. • You can use any text editor to create an administrative template. Administrative templates language all their own, and you learn about that language in the remainder of this section. Group Policy editor is very good about displaying useful errors when a template file error. It gives you the line number, the keyword that's in error, and more information. In summary: Create an administrative template using the language you learn about in this chapter. template file is a text file with the .adm extension. 1. Load the template file in the Group Policy editor as you learn to do in the section Registry-Based Policy." 2. Edit the settings that the administrative template defines. 3. The following listing is a sample administrative template that doesn't do much but illustrates template file looks like. Figure 6-4 shows what this template looks like in the Group Policy The figure's annotations show some of the keywords that are responsible for different portions policy. For example, the keyword EXPLAIN is responsible for displaying the policy's description you see in the figure. Throughout the remainder of this section, you'll see dozens more that give you the building blocks for creating your own administrative templates. Take these blocks and copy them right into your file to get started straightaway. Figure 6-4: Administrative templates, such as the one in this example, define the user interface 136 Listing 6-1: example.adm CLASS USER CATEGORY "Sample Policies" #if version >= 4 EXPLAIN "These are sample policies that don't do anything." #endif POLICY "Sample Policy" #if version >= 4 SUPPORTED "At least Microsoft Windows XP Professional" #endif EXPLAIN "This is a sample policy that doesn't do much." KEYNAME "Software\Policies" VALUENAME Sample VALUEON NUMERIC 1 VALUEOFF NUMERIC 0 END POLICY END CATEGORY Note The statements #if and #endif enclose statements that work with only certain versions of System Policy or Group Policy. Using these statements, the developer can write one administrative template that works with different versions of Windows, including Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP. System Policy in Windows NT is version 2. Windows 2000 is version 3. Windows XP is version 4. Thus, to make sure that the Group Policy editor in Windows 2000 ignores keywords that only Windows XP supports, the developer encloses those keywords between #if version >= 4 and #endif. To ensure that only System Policy Editor in Windows NT sees a block of keywords, enclose them between #if version = 2 and #endif. These conditional statements show that Microsoft was thinking far into the future, even back in the old days. Comments Comments are useful and necessary to document the contents of your policy templates. You can add comments to template files two different ways. Precede the comment with a semicolon (;) or two forward slashes (//). You can also place comments at the end of any valid line. You see examples of comments throughout this chapter; I've documented each example using them. Each line in the following example is a valid comment. I prefer using //for comments. Listing 6-2: example.adm ; This is a comment // This is also a comment CLASS USER // Per-user settings CLASS MACHINE ; Per-computer settings Strings In a one-off, quick-and-dirty template file, don't feel bad about hard-coding strings. That means adding the string where you need it and repeating the same string as often as necessary. The listing you saw in the section "Extending Registry-Based Policy" uses hard-coded strings. If you're using enterprise-class template files, or if you're managing the files over time, use string variables. Using 137 Define strings at the end of your template file in the [strings] section. The format of each string is name="string". You must enclose the string in double quotation marks. To use string variables in your template file, use the format !!name. Each time the Group Policy editor sees !! name, it substitutes the string for the name. Incidentally, the !! makes searching template files for strings easy—just search the file for the double exclamation marks. The following listing is an example of how strings and string variables are used in template file: Listing 6-3: example.adm POLICY !!Sample // Defined in [strings] section SUPPORTED "At least Microsoft Windows XP" // Hard-coded string EXPLAIN !!Sample_Explain // Defined in [strings] section ... [strings] Sample="Sample Policy" Sample_Explain="This sample policy doesn't do much of anything." Note In this chapter, I tend not to use string variables for clarity. Avoiding string variables prevents you from having to look up each string as you're wading through the listings. Keep in mind that you'll want to use string variables if you plan on localizing your files. CLASS The first entry in a template file is the keyword CLASS. It defines whether the policies following it are per-user or per-computer, that is, it specifies where in the Group Policy editor you see the policy: User Configuration or Computer Configuration. You can use multiple CLASS keywords in a template file. When the Windows XP client-side extensions process the file, it merges the settings defined in the CLASS USER sections and does the same for the settings defined in all the CLASS MACHINE sections. Then it loads the settings defined in the CLASS USER sections in HKCU and the settings defined in the CLASS MACHINE sections in HKLM. Syntax CLASS Name Name This must be MACHINE or USER.MACHINE specifies that the policies following the CLASS keyword are per-computer policies, and USER specifies that the policies following the keyword are per-user policies. This keyword persists until you change it using additional CLASS keywords. Example Listing 6-4: example.adm CLASS MACHINE // Policies here are per-computer policies CLASS USER // Policies here are per-user policies 138 CATEGORY After you define whether your policy will appear under the Computer Settings or User Settings branch of the Group Policy editor using the CLASS keyword, use the CATEGORY keyword to create subfolders in that branch. The editor displays your settings in that folder. Just as you can create subkeys within keys in the registry, you can create subcategories within categories by nesting the CATEGORY keyword. Just keep in mind that all the CATEGORY keyword does is create folders. Categories can include zero or more policies. Categories that contain no policies usually contain one or more subcategories, at a minimum. You define a registry key in which the Group Policy editor creates settings for that category using the KEYNAME keyword, which you learn about in the next section. Using the KEYNAME keyword here is optional if you're defining the key elsewhere. Last, you end a category with END CATEGORY. Syntax CATEGORY Name KEYNAME Subkey Policies END CATEGORY Name This is the folder name you want to see in the Group Policy editor. Use a string variable or a string enclosed in quotes. Subkey This is an optional subkey of HKLM or HKCU to use for the category. Do not include either root key in the path, though, because the preceding CLASS keyword specifies which of these root keys to use. If you specify a subkey, all subcategories, policies, and parts use it unless they specifically provide a subkey of their own. Enclose names that contain spaces in double quotes. Example Listing 6-5: example.adm CLASS USER // Settings are per-user in HKCU CATEGORY "Desktop Settings" KEYNAME "Software\Policies\System" // Add policies for the Desktop Settings category here CATEGORY "Custom Application Settings" KEYNAME "Software\Policies\CustomApps" // Add policies for the custom applications subcategory here END CATEGORY END CATEGORY 139 Keywords The valid keywords you can use within a CATEGORY section are the following: CATEGORY • END • KEYNAME • POLICY • KEYNAME Use the KEYNAME keyword within a category to define which subkey of HKCU or HKLM (depending on the CLASS keyword) contains the value you're changing. Do not include a root key in the path because the CLASS keyword defines it. If the name contains spaces, you must enclose the string in double quotation marks. The example in the previous section, "CATEGORY" shows how to use the KEYNAME keyword. POLICY Use the POLICY keyword to define a policy that the administrator can change. The policy editor displays the policy and its controls in a dialog box that the administrator uses to change the policies state and settings. You can include multiple POLICY keywords in a single category, but you don't need to include the KEYNAME keyword before each POLICY keyword. The most recent KEYNAME keyword applies for each policy. You end a policy with END POLICY. Each policy contains a VALUENAME keyword to associate a registry value with it. By default, the policy editor assumes it's a REG_DWORD value and stores 0x01 in it when you enable the policy. The policy editor also removes the value when you disable the policy. You must use the VALUEON and VALUEOFF keywords if you don't want the policy editor to remove the value when you disable the policy. You don't have to use any keywords other than VALUENAME to get this behavior. You can include optional PART keywords that specify additional options, however, such as drop-down list boxes, check boxes, text boxes, and so on. You see these controls in the bottom part of the policy's dialog box (see Figure 6-3). Syntax POLICY Name [KEYNAME Subkey] EXPLAIN Help VALUENAME Value [Parts] END POLICY Name This is the name of the policy as you want to see it in the Group Policy editor. Use a descriptive but short name. Subkey This is an optional subkey of HKLM or HKCU to use for the category. Do not include either root key in the path, though, because the preceding CLASS keyword specifies which of these root keys to use. If you specify a subkey, all subcategories, policies, and parts use it unless they specifically provide a subkey of their own. Enclose names that contain spaces in double quotes. 140 Help This is the string that the Group Policy editor displays on the Explain tab and on the Extended tab of the policy's dialog box. Value This is the registry value to modify. Enabling the policy sets the REG_DWORD value to 0x01. Select the Not Configured option or disable the policy, and the policy editor removes the value from the registry. To specify values other than the default 0x01, use the VALUEON and VALUEOFF keywords directly following the VALUENAME keyword: VALUEON [NUMERIC] Enabled VALUEOFF [NUMERIC] Disabled When you use these keywords, the policy editor sets the registry value to Enabled when you enable the policy and sets the value to Disabled when you disable the policy. The default value type is REG_SZ, but you can change it to REG_DWORD by prefixing the value with the keyword NUMERIC. Regardless, setting the policy to Not Configured removes the value altogether. Example Listing 6-6: example.adm CLASS MACHINE CATEGORY "Disk Quotas" KEYNAME "Software\Policies\MS\DiskQuota" POLICY "Enable disk quotas" EXPLAIN "Enables and disables disk quotas management." VALUENAME "Enable" VALUEON NUMERIC 1 VALUEOFF NUMERIC 0 END POLICY END CATEGORY Keywords The valid keywords within a POLICY section include the following: ACTIONLISTOFF • ACTIONLISTON • END • KEYNAME • PART • VALUENAME • VALUEOFF • VALUEON • HELP • POLICY • Note Additional keywords are available for policies, but they are for developers creating policy 141 EXPLAIN The EXPLAIN keyword provides help text for a specific policy. In Windows 2000 and Windows XP, each policy's dialog box includes an Explain tab, which provides details about the policy settings. You also see this help text on the Extended tab of the editor's right pane in Windows XP. Each policy you create for Windows 2000 and Windows XP should contain one EXPLAIN keyword followed by a full description of the policy and its settings. Although I don't show this in my examples (trying to keep them simple), you should enclose this keyword between #if version >=3 and #endif to prevent earlier versions of the policy editor from choking on these keywords: Listing 6-7: example.adm #if version >= 3 EXPLAIN "Enables and disables disk quotas management." #endif VALUENAME The VALUENAME keyword identifies the registry value that the policy editor modifies when you enable or disable the policy. The syntax is VALUENAME Name. You saw an example of this keyword in the section "POLICY." Unless you set the VALUEON and VALUEOFF keywords, described in the next section, the policy editor creates the policy as a REG_DWORD value: Enabled. Sets the value to 0x01 • Disabled. Removes the value • Not Configured. Removes the value • VALUENAME, VALUEON, and VALUEOFF describe the value that enables and disables the policy. If you want to define additional settings that enable you to collect additional values to refine the policy, you must use the PART keyword. Settings in a PART section are in the bottom part of the policy's dialog box. VALUEON and VALUEOFF You can use the VALUEON and VALUEOFF keywords to write specific values based on the state of the policy. The section "POLICY" contains an example of how these keywords are used. The syntaxes are VALUEON [NUMERIC] Enabled and VALUEOFF [NUMERIC] Disabled. By default, the policy editor creates the value as a REG_SZ value; if you want it to create the value as a REG_DWORD value, prefix it with the NUMERIC keyword. For example: VALUEON 0 // Created as a REG_SZ value containing "0" VALUEOFF NUMERIC 1 // Created as a REG_DWORD value containing 0x01 ACTIONLIST The ACTIONLIST keyword enables you to group settings together. Think of it as a list of values you want the policy editor to change when you change a policy. The following two variants of the ACTIONLIST keyword are the most commonly used: 142 Syntax ACTIONLIST [KEYNAME Subkey] VALUENAME Value VALUE Data END ACTIONLIST Subkey This is an optional subkey of HKLM or HKCU to use for the category. Do not include either root key in the path, though, because the preceding CLASS keyword specifies which of these root keys to use. If you specify a subkey, all subcategories, policies, and parts use it unless they specifically provide a subkey of their own. Enclose names that contain spaces in double quotes. Value This is the registry value to modify. Enabling the policy sets the REG_DWORD value to 0x01. Select the Not Configured option, and the policy editor removes the value from the registry. To specify values other than the default 0x00 and 0x01, use the VALUE keyword. Data This is the data to which you want to set the value. The default value type is REG_SZ, but you can change it to REG_DWORD by prefixing the value with the keyword NUMERIC. If you follow the keyword VALUE with the keyword DELETE (VALUE DELETE), policy editor removes the value from the registry. Regardless, setting the policy to Not Configured removes the value altogether. Example Listing 6-8: example.adm POLICY "Sample Action List" EXPLAIN "This illustrates action lists" ACTIONLISTON VALUENAME Sample1 VALUE 1 VALUENAME Sample2 VALUE 1 END ACTIONLISTON ACTIONLISTOFF VALUENAME Sample1 VALUE 0 VALUENAME Sample2 VALUE 0 END ACTIONLISTOFF END POLICY PART The PART keyword enables you to specify various options, including drop-down lists, text boxes, and check boxes, in the lower part of a policy's dialog box. Figure 6-5 shows an example of the settings that you want to collect in addition to enabling or disabling the policy. For simple policies that you only need to enable or disable, you won't need to use this keyword. In fact, only a relative handful of the policies in Windows XP use the PART keyword at all. 143 Figure 6-5: Use the PART keyword to collect additional data that further refines the policy. You begin a part with the PART keyword and end it with END PART. The syntax of the PART keyword is PART Name Type. Name is the name of the part, and Type is the type of part. Each policy can contain multiple PART keywords, and the policy editor displays them in the dialog box using the order that it found them in the administrative template. This section gives you the overall syntax of the PART keyword, and the sections following this one describe how to create the different types of parts. Syntax PART Name Type Keywords [KEYNAME Subkey] [DEFAULT Default] VALUENAME Name END PART Name This specifies the name of the setting as you want to see it in the policy's dialog box. Enclose the name in double quotes if it contains spaces. This is the setting's prompt. Type This can be one of the following types: CHECKBOX. Displays a check box. The REG_DWORD value is 0x01 if you select the check box or 0x00 if you clear it. • COMBOBOX. Displays a combo box. • DROPDOWNLIST. Displays a combo box with a drop-down list. The user can choose only one of the entries supplied. • EDITTEXT. Displays a text box that accepts alphanumeric input. The value is either REG_SZ or REG_EXPAND_SZ. • LISTBOX. Displays a list box with Add and Remove buttons. This is the only type • 144 that can be used to manage multiple values in one key. NUMERIC. Displays a text box with an optional spin control that accepts a numeric value. The value is a REG_DWORD value. • TEXT. Displays a line of static text. It stores no data in the registry and is useful for adding help to the dialog box. • Keywords This is information specific to each type of part. See the sections following this for more information about these keywords. Subkey This is an optional subkey of HKLM or HKCU to use for the category. Do not include either root key in the path, though, because the preceding CLASS keyword specifies which of these root keys to use. If you specify a subkey, all subcategories, policies, and parts use it unless they specifically provide a subkey of their own. Enclose names that contain spaces in double quotes. Default This is the default value for the part. When you enable the policy, the policy editor fills the control with the default value. Use a default value that's appropriate for the part's type. Value This is the registry value to modify. The value type and data depend entirely on the part's type. Example Listing 6-9: example.adm POLICY "Sample Part" EXPLAIN "This illustrates parts" KEYNAME "Software\Policies" POLICY "Sample Policy" EXPLAIN "This is a sample policy including parts." VALUENAME "Sample" PART test EDITTEXT DEFAULT "This is the default text" VALUENAME Sample END PART END POLICY Keywords The valid keywords within a PART section are the following: CHECKBOX • COMBOBOX • DROPDOWNLIST • EDITTEXT • END • LISTBOX • NUMERIC • PART • TEXT • CHECKBOX The CHECKBOX keyword displays a check box. In the registry, it's a REG_SZ value. By default, the check box is cleared, and the settings it writes to the registry for each of its states are as follows: 145 Include the keyword DEFCHECKED within the part if you want the check box selected by default. Otherwise, the check box is cleared by default. Syntax PART Name CHECKBOX DEFCHECKED VALUENAME Value END PART Name This specifies the name of the setting as you want to see it in the policy's dialog box. Enclose the name in double quotes if it contains spaces. You see the name next to the check box. Value This is the registry value to modify. Enabling the policy sets the REG_SZ value to 1. Set the Not Configured option, and the policy editor removes the value from the registry. To specify values other than the default 0 and 1, use the VALUEON and VALUEOFF keywords following the VALUENAME keyword: VALUEON [NUMERIC] Enabled VALUEOFF [NUMERIC] Disabled When you use these keywords, the policy editor sets the registry value to Enabled when you enable the policy and sets the value to Disabled when you disable the policy. The default value type is REG_SZ, but you can change it to REG_DWORD by prefixing the value with the keyword NUMERIC. Regardless, setting the policy to Not Configured removes the value altogether. You can also use the ACTIONLISTON and ACTIONLISTOFF keywords to associate multiple values with a check box. Example Listing 6-10: example.adm CLASS USER CATEGORY "Sample Policies" EXPLAIN "These are sample policies that illustrate parts." POLICY "Sample Policy" SUPPORTED "At least Microsoft Windows XP Professional" EXPLAIN "This is a sample policy that illustrates a part." KEYNAME "Software\Policies" PART Sample1 CHECKBOX VALUENAME Sample1 END PART PART Sample2 CHECKBOX DEFCHECKED VALUENAME Sample2 146 END POLICY END CATEGORY Keywords The valid keywords within a CHECKBOX section include the following: ACTIONLISTOFF • ACTIONLISTON • DEFCHECKED • END • KEYNAME • VALUENAME • VALUEOFF • VALUEON • COMBOBOX The COMBOBOX keyword adds a combo box to the policy's dialog box. It has one additional keyword you must use, SUGGESTIONS. This creates a list of suggestions that the policy editor places in the drop-down list. Separate the items in this list with white space and enclose items containing spaces within double quotation marks. End the list with the END SUGGESTIONS. A few keywords modify the behavior of the combo box: DEFAULT. Specifies the default value of the combo box • EXPANDABLETEXT. Creates the value as a REG_EXPAND_SZ value • MAXLENGTH. Specifies the maximum length of the value • NOSORT. Prevents the policy editor from sorting the list • REQUIRED. Specifies that a value is required • Syntax PART Name COMBOBOX SUGGESTIONS Suggestions END SUGGESTIONS [DEFAULT Default] [EXPANDABLETEXT] [MAXLENGTH Max] [NOSORT] [REQUIRED] VALUENAME Value END PART Name This specifies the name of the setting as you want to see it in the policy's dialog box. Enclose the name in double quotes if it contains spaces. You see the name next to the combo box. Suggestions 147 This is a list of items to put in the drop-down list. Separate each suggestion with white space (line feeds, tabs, spaces and the like), and enclose any suggestion that includes a space in double quotes. Default This is the default value for the part. When you enable the policy, the policy editor fills the control with the default value. Use a default value that's appropriate for the part's type. Max This is the maximum length of the value's data. Value This is the registry value to modify. The policy editor creates this in the registry as a REG_SZ value and fills it with any text that you typed or selected in the combo box. Example Listing 6-11: example.adm CLASS USER CATEGORY "Sample Policies" EXPLAIN "These are sample policies that don't do anything but illustrate parts." POLICY "Sample Policy" SUPPORTED "At least Microsoft Windows XP Professional" EXPLAIN "This is a sample policy that illustrates creating a part." KEYNAME "Software\Policies" PART Sample COMBOBOX SUGGESTIONS Sample1 Sample2 "Another Sample" END SUGGESTIONS VALUENAME Sample END PART END POLICY END CATEGORY Keywords The valid keywords within a COMBOBOX section are the following: DEFAULT • END • EXPANDABLETEXT • KEYNAME • MAXLENGTH • NOSORT • REQUIRED • SUGGESTIONS • VALUENAME • DROPDOWNLIST The DROPDOWNLIST keyword adds a drop-down list to the policy's dialog box. It has one additional keyword you must use, and that is ITEMLIST. This creates a list of items that the policy 148 the list with the END ITEMLIST. A few keywords modify the behavior of the drop-down list: DEFAULT. Specifies the default value of the drop-down list • EXPANDABLETEXT. Creates the value as a REG_EXPAND_SZ value • NOSORT. Prevents the policy editor from sorting the list • REQUIRED. Specifies that a value is required • Syntax PART Name DROPDOWNLIST ITEMLIST NAME Item VALUE Data END ITEMLIST [DEFAULT Default] [EXPANDABLETEXT] [NOSORT] [REQUIRED] VALUENAME Value END PART Name This specifies the name of the setting as you want to see it in the policy's dialog box. Enclose the name in double quotes if it contains spaces. You see the name next to the drop-down list. Item This is the name of each item in the list. This is the text that you'll see in the drop-down list. This isn't the value that the policy editor stores in the registry, though. Data This is the data you want the policy editor to store in the value when you select the associated item. Default This is the default value for the part. When you enable the policy, the policy editor fills the control with the default value. Use an item defined in ITEMLIST. Value This is the registry value to modify. The policy editor creates this in the registry as a REG_SZ value and fills it with the value of Data associated with the selected item. Example Listing 6-12: example.adm CLASS USER CATEGORY "Sample Policies" EXPLAIN "These are sample policies that illustrate parts." POLICY "Sample Policy" SUPPORTED "At least Microsoft Windows XP Professional" EXPLAIN "This is a sample policy that illustrates creating a part." KEYNAME "Software\Policies" PART Sample DROPDOWNLIST ITEMLIST NAME Sample1 VALUE 0 NAME Sample2 VALUE 1 NAME "Another Sample" VALUE 2 END ITEMLIST 149 END CATEGORY Keywords The valid keywords within a DROPDOWNLIST section are the following: DEFAULT • END • EXPANDABLETEXT • KEYNAME • NOSORT • REQUIRED • ITEMLIST • VALUENAME • EDITTEXT The EDITTEXT keyword enables you to input alphanumeric text in a text box. Policy editor stores the text in a REG_SZ value. A few keywords modify the behavior of the text box: DEFAULT. Specifies the default value of the text box • EXPANDABLETEXT. Creates the value as a REG_EXPAND_SZ value • MAXLENGTH. Specifies the maximum length of the value • REQUIRED. Specifies that a value is required • Syntax PART Name EDITTEXT [DEFAULT Default] [EXPANDABLETEXT] [MAXLENGTH Max] [REQUIRED] VALUENAME Value END PART Name This specifies the name of the setting as you want to see it in the policy's dialog box. Enclose the name in double quotes if it contains spaces. You see the name next to the text box. Default This is the default value for the part. When you enable the policy, the policy editor fills the control with the default value. Use a default value that's appropriate for the part's type. Max This is the maximum length of the value's data. Value This is the registry value to modify. The policy editor creates this in the registry as a REG_SZ value and fills it with any text that you typed. Example Listing 6-13: example.adm CLASS USER 150 POLICY "Sample Policy" SUPPORTED "At least Microsoft Windows XP Professional" EXPLAIN "This is a sample policy that illustrates creating a part." KEYNAME "Software\Policies" PART Sample EDITTEXT VALUENAME Sample END PART END POLICY END CATEGORY Keywords The valid keywords within an EDITTEXT section are the following: DEFAULT • END • EXPANDABLETEXT • KEYNAME • MAXLENGTH • REQUIRED • VALUENAME • LISTBOX The LISTBOX keyword adds a list box with Add and Remove buttons to the policy's dialog box. This is the only type of part that you can use to manage multiple values in one key. You can't use the VALUENAME option with the LISTBOX part because it doesn't associate just a single value with it. Use the following options with the LISTBOX part type: ADDITIVE. By default, the content of list boxes overrides values already set in the registry. That means that the Windows XP client-side extensions remove values before setting them. When you use this keyword, the client-side extensions do not delete existing values before adding the values set in the list box. • EXPLICITVALUE. This keyword makes you specify the value name and data. The list box shows two columns, one for the name and one for the data. You can't use this keyword with the VALUEPREFIX keyword. • VALUEPREFIX. The prefix you specify determines value names. If you specify a prefix, the policy editor adds an incremental number to it. For example, a prefix of Sample generates the value names Sample1, Sample2, and so on. The prefix can be empty (""), causing the value names to be 1, 2, and so on. • By default, without using either the EXPLICITVALUE or VALUEPREFIX keywords, only one column appears in the list box. For each entry in the list, the policy editor creates a value using the entry's text for the value's name and data. For example, the entry Sample in the list box creates a value called Sample whose data is Sample. The default behavior is seldom the desirable result. 151 PART Name LISTBOX [EXPANDABLETEXT] [NOSORT] [ADDITIVE] [EXPLICITVALUE | VALUEPREFIX Prefix] END PART Name This specifies the name of the setting as you want to see it in the policy's dialog box. Enclose the name in double quotes if it contains spaces. Prefix This is the prefix to use for incremental names. If you specify a prefix, the policy editor adds an incremental number to it. For example, a prefix of Sample generates the value names Sample1, Sample2, and so on. The prefix can be empty (""), causing the value names to be 1, 2, and so on. Example Listing 6-14: example.adm CLASS USER CATEGORY "Sample Policies" EXPLAIN "These are sample policies that illustrate parts." POLICY "Sample Policy" SUPPORTED "At least Microsoft Windows XP Professional" EXPLAIN "This is a sample policy that illustrates creating a part." KEYNAME "Software\Policies" PART Sample LISTBOX EXPLICITVALUE END PART END POLICY END CATEGORY Keywords The valid keywords within a LISTBOX section are the following: ADDITIVE • END • EXPANDABLETEXT • EXPLICITVALUE • KEYNAME • NOSORT • VALUEPREFIX • NUMERIC The NUMERIC keyword enables you to input alphanumeric text using a spinner control that adjusts the number up and down. Policy editor stores the number in a REG_DWORD value, but you can change the value's type to REG_SZ using the TXTCONVERT keyword. A few other keywords 152 DEFAULT. Specifies the initial value of the text box • MAX. Specifies the maximum value. The default is 9999 • MIN. Specifies the minimum value. The default is 0. • REQUIRED. Specifies that a value is required • SPIN. Specifies the increment to use for the spinner control. The default value is 1, and using 0 removes the spinner control. • TXTCONVERT. Writes values as REG_SZ values rather than REG_DWORD • Syntax PART Name NUMERIC [DEFAULT Default] [MAX Max] [MIN Min] [REQUIRED] [SPIN] [TXTCONVERT] VALUENAME Value END PART Name This specifies the name of the setting as you want to see it in the policy's dialog box. Enclose the name in double quotes if it contains spaces. You see the name next to the text box. Default This is the default value for the part. When you enable the policy, the policy editor fills the control with the default value. Use a default value that's appropriate for the part's type. Max This is the maximum value. The default is 9999. Min This is the minimum value. The default is 0. Value This is the registry value to modify. The policy editor creates this in the registry as a REG_DWORD value, setting it to the value that you specify in the dialog box. To change the value's type to REG_SZ, use the TXTCONVERT keyword. Example Listing 6-15: example.adm CLASS USER CATEGORY "Sample Policies" EXPLAIN "These are sample policies that illustrate parts." POLICY "Sample Policy" SUPPORTED "At least Microsoft Windows XP Professional" EXPLAIN "This is a sample policy that illustrates creating a part." KEYNAME "Software\Policies" PART Sample NUMERIC DEFAULT 11 MIN 10 MAX 20 VALUENAME Sample END PART END POLICY 153 Keywords The valid keywords within a NUMERIC section are the following: DEFAULT • END • KEYNAME • MAX • MIN • REQUIRED • SPIN • TXTCONVERT • VALUENAME • TEXT The TEXT keyword adds static text to the bottom part of the policy's dialog box. Syntax PART Text TEXT END PART Text This is the text you want to add to the dialog box. Example Listing 6-16: example.adm CLASS USER CATEGORY "Sample Policies" EXPLAIN "These are sample policies that illustrate parts." POLICY "Sample Policy" SUPPORTED "At least Microsoft Windows XP Professional" EXPLAIN "This is a sample policy that illustrates creating a part." KEYNAME "Software\Policies" PART "This is sample text added to the dialog box." TEXT END PART END POLICY END CATEGORY 154 To use an administrative template, whether you created it or an application such as Office XP provides it, you must load it in the Administrative Templates extension. You load template files into each GPO in which you want to use them. Because we're talking about the local GPO in this chapter, you only have to load template files once. If you use a template with Active Directory, you'd have to load it in each GPO in which you want to use it, though. Here's how to load a template in the local GPO: Right-click Administrative Templates, under Computer Configuration or User Configuration, and then click Add/Remove Templates. 1. In the Add/Remove Templates dialog box, click Add. 2. In the Policy Templates dialog box, type the path and file name of the administrative template you want to load in to the local GPO. 3. Windows XP Group Policy Improvements Windows XP includes improved policy management, enabling IT professionals to fine tune, manage, or simply turn off features they don't want users to access. IT professionals can deploy any of the policy settings in Windows XP from Active Directory, too, without fear of wrecking their Windows 2000 configurations. Here's a brief list of the improvements you find in Windows XP: Windows XP supports all 421 Windows 2000 policies. • Windows XP adds 212 new policy settings, and Windows 2000 ignores them. • The Group Policy editor uses Web view to display useful information about policies that IT professionals use to assess and verify settings. • The Group Policy editor includes integrated help that makes learning and tracking down policies easier. • Windows XP doesn't wait for the network to fully initialize before presenting the desktop, using cached credentials in the meantime, and allowing users to get to work faster. It applies policies in the background when the network is ready. • These improvements are big advantages. However, you'll be happy to know that the big picture doesn't change much. You use roughly the same tools in the same ways to configure and manage user settings. If you're already familiar with Windows 2000 Group Policy, you're equally familiar with Windows XP Group Policy. Windows 2000 Server-Based Networks The Windows XP policy templates are fully compatible with Windows 2000 Server and its version of Active Directory. Microsoft Windows .NET Server includes the Windows XP administrative templates by default. You have to load them in each GPO in which you want to use them, though, and the steps for doing that are the same as you learned in the previous sections. You can avoid having to load the Windows XP administrative templates in each GPO by copying them to %SYSTEMROOT%\Inf on the server. Just copy all the files with the .adm extension from %SYSTEMROOT%\Inf on a computer running Windows XP to the same folder on the server. The server operating system automatically updates each GPO when you open it for editing. If you're uncomfortable with replacing your Windows 2000 administrative templates, you should continue 155 haven't felt any pain. Consider these best practices when using Windows XP administrative templates in Windows 2000 Server: In a mixed environment, use Windows XP template files to administer your GPOs. Windows 2000 ignores Windows XP-specific settings. • Apply the same policy settings to both Windows XP and Windows 2000 to give roaming users a consistent experience. • Test interoperability of the various settings before deployment. • Configure policy settings only on client machines using GPOs. Do not try to create these registry values by other methods. • Windows NT-Based and Other Networks Like Group Policy, System Policy configures and manages settings for groups of computers and groups of users. I assume you're familiar with System Policy Editor if you're facing this issue. Table 6-2 describes the differences between the two technologies. The policy file that System Policy Editor creates, Ntconfig.pol normally, contains the registry settings for all the users, groups, and computers that use those settings. To deploy this file on a network, put it in the NETLOGON share of the domain controller. Unlike Group Policy, separate policy files aren't necessary. Table 6-2: Group Policy Compared to System Policy Group Policy System Policy Tool Group Policy editor System Policy Editor Number of settings 620 registry-based settings 72 registry-based settings Applied to Users and computers in a specific Active Directory container, such as sites, domains, and organizational units Users and computers in a domain Security Secure Not secure Extensions Microsoft Management Console and administrative templates Administrative templates Persistence Does not make permanent changes to the registry Makes permanent changes to the registry that you must manually remove Usage Implementing registry-based policy settings • Configuring security settings • Applying logon, logoff, startup, and shutdown scripts • Deploying and maintaining software • Optimizing and maintaining Internet Explorer • Implementing registry-based policy settings Windows XP behaves differently depending on what kind of server authenticates the user and 156 Windows XP looks for System Policy. (It uses the file Ntconfig.pol in the NETLOGON can use this to your advantage when you haven't deployed Active Directory but you configure policies. To configure System Policies, use System Policy Editor. You load the Windows XP policy in System Policy Editor before using them. Using System Policy, you can configure and the registry-based policies that these templates define. Note that Windows XP doesn't System Policy Editor but Windows 2000 Server does. Also, you will find System Policy Office XP Resource Kit, which you learn about in Chapter 14, "Deploying Office XP Settings." create the Ntconfig.pol file and drop it in the NETLOGON share. If Windows XP authenticates account using that Windows NT-based server, it downloads and parses the policies Ntconfig.pol file it finds in the NETLOGON share. If you're not using Active Directory or a Windows NT domain, you can still configure System You configure Windows XP to look for the Ntconfig.pol file in any share by specifying a policy file. You must make this change on each individual computer, however, which labor-intensive process unless you configure it on your disk images. Set the UpdateMode REG_DWORD value to 0x02, which changes Windows XP from automatic (0x01) to manual (0x02). (Set this value to 0x00 to turn off system policy.) Then set the REG_SZ value NetworkPath to the UNC path and name of the policy file you want to use. These values are HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Update. You might have to create them. Customizing Windows XP The key reason that power users want to create administrative templates is to customize that have no user interface. By creating an administrative template, you give those settings interface, preventing human error. The following listing is a sample administrative template does just that. It defines a handful of custom settings that Tweak UI (see Chapter 5, Tweak UI") contains. Figure 6-6 on page 180 shows what this administrative template the Group Policy editor. Figure 6-6: Notice the warning that says the setting will tattoo the registry. 157 Listing 6-17: Tweakui.adm CLASS USER CATEGORY "Tweak UI Settings" EXPLAIN "These are settings from Tweak UI." CATEGORY "Mouse" EXPLAIN "Settings that customize the mouse." POLICY "Menu Show Delay" EXPLAIN "Delay before Windows XP opens a menu when you point at it." KEYNAME "Control Panel\Desktop" PART "Menu Delay (milliseconds)" NUMERIC MIN 0 MAX 65534 DEFAULT 400 TXTCONVERT VALUENAME MenuShowDelay END PART END POLICY POLICY "Drag Height and Width" EXPLAIN "Number of pixels the mouse moves before Windows XP thinks you're dragging it." KEYNAME "Control Panel\Desktop" PART "Height" NUMERIC MIN 0 MAX 16 TXTCONVERT VALUENAME DragHeight END PART PART "Width" NUMERIC MIN 0 MAX 16 TXTCONVERT VALUENAME DragWidth END PART END POLICY END CATEGORY CATEGORY "Taskbar" EXPLAIN "Settings that customize the taskbar." POLICY "Balloon Tips" EXPLAIN "Enable or disable balloon tips." KEYNAME Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced VALUENAME EnableBalloonTips VALUEOFF NUMERIC 0 VALUEON NUMERIC 1 END POLICY POLICY "Taskbar Grouping" EXPLAIN "Control how buttons group on the taskbar." KEYNAME Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced PART Grouping DROPDOWNLIST ITEMLIST NAME "Group least used applications first" VALUE 0 NAME "Group applications with the mouse windows first" VALUE 1 NAME "Group applications with at least 2 windows" VALUE 2 NAME "Group applications with at least 3 windows" VALUE 3 NAME "Group applications with at least 4 windows" VALUE 4 158 END ITEMLIST NOSORT VALUENAME TaskbarGroupSize END PART END POLICY END CATEGORY END CATEGORY This administrative template does not contain proper policies. The settings aren't in an official policy branch in the registry, so Windows XP can't manage them. That means if you remove the policy, the setting remains. The change is permanent. By default, the Group Policy editor does not display unmanaged settings because they tattoo the registry—a negative side effect you don't normally want to happen. In this case, I'm consciously choosing to do this to provide a user interface for user preferences that don't normally have a user interface. In Group Policy editor, unmanaged settings have red icons rather than the normal blue icons. To display these settings, you must show unmanaged settings in Group Policy editor: Right-click Administrative Templates under Computer Configuration or User Configuration, point to View, and click Filtering. 1. In the Filtering dialog box, clear the Only Show Policy Settings That Can Be Fully Managed check box. 2. Using the Group Policy Tools The Group Policy tools in Windows XP contain a lot of improvements. The sections following this one describe each of these tools and how to use them. Some of these enhancements deserve special mention, though. First is Group Policy Update Tool (Gpupdate.exe). Group Policy refreshes policies every 90 minutes by default. In Windows 2000, if you change a policy and want to see the results immediately, you had to use the commands secedit /refreshpolicy user_policy and secedit /refreshpolicy machine_policy. Gpupdate.exe replaces both of these commands in one easy to use command. You don't need to use this tool when updating the local GPO, though, because changes to the local GPO are instant. Second is Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP). Windows XP includes new tools for seeing which policies the operating system is applying to the current user and computer and the location where they originated. One of the toughest parts of administering Group Policy on a large network is tracking down behaviors that result from combinations of GPOs that you didn't intend or didn't know were occurring. These tools help you track down these behaviors much faster than you could with Windows 2000 because they give you a snapshot of how the operating system is applying them and where they originated. Gpresult Group Policy Result Tool displays the effective policies and RSoP for the current user and computer. This section describes its command-line options. 159 gpresult [/s Computer [/u Domain\User /p Password]] [/user TargetUserName [/ scope {user|computer}] [/v] [/z] /s Computer This specifies the name or IP address of a remote computer (don't use backslashes). It defaults to the local computer. /u Domain\User This runs the command with the account permissions of the user specified by User or Domain \User. The default is the permissions of the current console user. /p Password This specifies the password of the user account that the /u option specifies. /user TargetUserName This specifies the user name of the user for whom you want to display RSoP. /scope {user|computer} This displays either user or computer results. Valid values for the /scope option are user or computer. If you omit the /scope option, Gpresult.exe displays both user and computer settings. /v This specifies that the output display verbose policy information. /z This specifies that the output display all available information about Group Policy. Because this option produces more information than the /v option, redirect output to a text file when you use this parameter: gpresult /z >policy.txt. /? This displays help. Examples gpresult /user jerry /scope computer gpresult /s camelot /u honeycutt\administrator /p password /user jerry gpresult /s camelot /u honeycutt\administrator /p password /user jerry /z >policy.txt Gpupdate Group Policy Update Tool (Gpupdate.exe) refreshes local and network policy settings, including registry-based settings. As I mentioned, this command replaces the obsolete command secedit /refreshpolicy. Syntax gpupdate [/target:{computer|user}] [/force] [/wait:value] [/logoff] [/boot] /target:{computer|user} This processes only the computer settings or the current user settings. By default, both the computer and user settings are processed. /force This ignores all processing optimizations and reapplies all settings. /wait:value This is the number of seconds that policy processing waits to finish. The default is 600 seconds. 0 means don't wait, and -1 means wait forever. /logoff This logs the user off after the refresh has completed. This is required for those Group Policy client-side extensions that do not process on a background refresh cycle but that do process when the user logs on, such as user Software Installation and Folder Redirection. This option has no effect if there are no extensions called that require the user to log off. /boot This restarts the computer after the refresh is finished. This is required for those Group Policy client-side extensions that do not process on a 160 background refresh cycle but that do process when the computer starts up, such as computer Software Installation. This option has no effect if there are no extensions called that require the computer to be restarted. /? This displays help. Examples gpupdate gpupdate /target:computer gpupdate /force /wait:100 gpupdate /boot Simulating Folder Redirection IT professionals often ask me about Folder Redirection. Specifically, they want to know how to simulate this policy when they haven't yet deployed Active Directory. Active Directory is a requirement for this policy, after all. Not so fast! Although you can't achieve automatic folder redirection without Active Directory, you can simulate it. Configure the key User Shell Folders to redirect My Documents and other folders to a network location. This key is in HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows \CurrentVersion\Explorer and contains one value for each of the special folders that Windows XP supports. They are REG_EXPAND_SZ values, so you can use environment variables, such as %USERNAME% and %HOMESHARE%, in the path. This means that even on a Windows NT-based network, you can use redirected folders. I suggest you script this customization so you can apply it uniformly. Chapter 4, "Hacking the Registry," describes the key User Shell Foldersin great detail, and it also contains a sample script that automatically redirects folders. Help and Support Center Although of limited use for IT professionals because you can't use it remotely, users can run Help and Support Center's Resultant Set of Policy Report on their own computers to check policy settings. This tool provides a user-friendly, printable report of most policies in effect for the computer and console user. Figure 6-7 on the next page shows a sample of this report. Here's how to use this tool: Click Start, and then click Help And Support Center. 1. Under Pick A Task, click Use Tools To View Your Computer Information And Diagnose Problems. 2. Click Advanced System Information, and then click View Group Policy Settings Applied. 3. 161 Figure 6-7: Help and Support Center's RSoP report contains the same type of information Gpresult.exe, but it's more readable and more suitable for printing. Resultant Set of Policy Although Help and Support Center's RSoP report isn't suitable for use by IT professionals, RSoP snap-in is suitable because you can use it to view RSoP data for remote computers. this tool to predict how policies work for a specific user or computer, as well as for entire users and computers. Sometimes, GPOs applied at different levels in Active Directory each other. Tracking down these conflicting settings is difficult without a tool like this snapThe RSoP snap-in checks Software Installation for applications associated with computer. It reports all other policy settings, too, including registry-based policies, folders, Internet Explorer maintenance, security settings, and scripts. You've already seen that report RSoP data: Gpresult.exe and Help and Support Center. The RSoP snap-in easy to use (your account must be in the computer's local Administrators group to use this Click Start, Run, and type mmc. 1. Click File, Add/Remove Snap-In; and then click Add. 2. In the Available Standalone Snap-Ins dialog box, select Resultant Set Of Policy, click Add. 3. Click Next in Resultant Set of Policy Wizard; and click Next again. 4. On the Computer Selection page, click Another Computer, type the name of the you want to inspect, and then click Next. 5. On the User Selection page, select the user for which you want to display RSoP then click Next. 6. Click Next, and then click Finish to close the wizard. 7. Figure 6-8 shows the results. In this example, you see the password policies applied computer. For each setting, you see the GPO that's the source for it. 162 Figure 6-8: The RSoP snap-in is the best tool for figuring out the source of policy settings multiple GPOs apply to a computer. Finding More Resources This chapter focused on local registry-based policies. This is a registry book after all. interested in learning more about Group Policy, Microsoft's Web site contains a plethora information. You don't even need to buy a book to learn more about it. Here's a list of resources I found valuable when I was first learning about Group Policy: http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/howitworks/management/grouppol wp. This is the Windows 2000 Group Policy white paper, and it's the best starting understanding how to create GPOs and apply them to containers in Active Directory. paper is long but a worthy read. • http://www.microsoft.com/Windows2000/techinfo/howitworks/management/rbppaper . This is the Implementing Registry-Based Group Policy white paper. The bulk of this about creating administrative templates for Windows XP. It's the paper I used writing this chapter because it describes the syntaxes for each of the keywords you in administrative templates. • http://www.microsoft.com/WINDOWSXP/pro/techinfo/administration/policy/ This is the Managing Windows XP in a Windows 2000 Server Environment white a bit long, and all it really says is that Windows 2000 ignores Windows XP policies, can copy the Windows XP administrative templates to %SYSTEMROOT%\Inf on 2000-based server to use those templates for both Windows 2000 and Windows it's an interesting read because it goes into detail about the Group Policy improvements Windows XP provides. Of note, this Web page includes a spreadsheet that policies. You can use it as a start for your own specification, recording which policies going to deploy. • 163 Overview Security is not the most interesting registry-related topic, nor is it the most popular. I don't of pages talking about it because, well, there's just not much to tell you. You can change access control list (ACL). You can audit keys. You can also take ownership of keys. You any of these things with individual values, though. Power users generally won't care registry security, but IT professionals often have no choice. Just because you can edit keys' ACLs doesn't mean you should, however. Messing registry's security is not a good idea unless you have a specific reason to do so. At best, make a change that's irrelevant, but at worst, you can prevent Microsoft Windows XP from properly. So why am I including security in this book at all? There are cases professionals must change the registry's default permissions to deploy software. That different story than tinkering with your registry's security out of curiosity. For example, have an application that users can run only when they log on to the operating system as of the Administrators group. Ouch. In a corporate environment, you don't want to dump users in this group. The solution is to deploy Windows XP with custom permissions so run those programs as a member of the Power Users or Users group. This is the most scenario, and it's the primary focus of this chapter. You have two methods of deploying custom permissions. First you can do it manually. For of completeness, I show you how to change a key's permissions in Registry Editor (Regedit). can also build a security template, complete with custom registry permissions, and then template to a computer manually. You wouldn't run around from desktop to desktop applying template, though; you'd apply that template to your disk images before deployment. method is by using Group Policy. You create a Group Policy object (GPO) and then security template into it to create a security policy for your network. Windows XP automatically applies the custom permissions in your template to the computer and user if that GPO Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP). I don't talk about Group Policy a whole lot in this book, 6, "Using Registry-Based Policy," points out a lot of good, free resources for learning more Note If you're interested in learning about the new security features Windows XP, see the white paper "What's New in Security for XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition." You find this on Microsoft's Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/ /TechNet/prodtechnol/winxppro/evaluate/xpsec.asp Setting Keys' Permissions Registry security is similar to file system security except that you can set only keys' permissions, values' permissions. Other than that, the dialog boxes look similar; the permissions are so on. If you don't understand basic security concepts, take a moment and review them Support Center before tinkering with permissions. I don't include the basic concepts in because I assume that you're an IT professional and already have this information under If you have full control of or own a registry key, you can edit its permissions for users and its ACL: 164 Figure 7-1: This dialog box is almost identical to the dialog box for file system security. In the Group Or User Names list, click the user or group for whom you want permissions, and then select the check box in the Allow or Deny column to allow following permissions: Full Control. Grants the user or group permission to open, edit, and take of the key. It literally gives full control of it. → Read. Grants the user or group permission to read the key's contents but changes made to it. Read this as read-only. → Special Permissions. Grants the user or group a special combination permissions. To grant special permissions, click Advanced. You learn this permission setting in the section titled "Assigning Special Permissions," this chapter. → 3. Sometimes the check boxes in the Permissions For Name area are shaded. You can't change The reason is that the key inherits that permission from the parent key. You can prevent 165 Tip OK, you had your fun. You tinkered with your registry's security and satisfied curiosity; but now what? You can easily restore the original permissions the Setup Security template. You learn how to apply this template in "Modifying a Computer's Configuration," later in this chapter. Adding Users to ACLs You can add users or groups to a key's existing ACL: In Regedit, click the key with the ACL you want to edit. 1. On the Edit menu, click Permissions, and then click Add. 2. In the Select Users, Computers, Or Groups dialog box, click Locations, and then computer, domain, or organizational unit in which you want to look for the user or want to add to the key's ACL. 3. In the Enter The Object Names To Select box, type the name of the user or group to add to the key's ACL, and then click OK. 4. In the Permissions For Name list, configure the permissions you want to give group by selecting the Allow or Deny check box. 5. The only real-world scenario I can think of for adding users to a key's ACL is allowing access a computer's registry over the network, which you learn how to do in "Restricting Registry Access," later in this chapter. Otherwise, adding a user or group to a key's sometimes useful as a quick fix when an application can't access the settings it needs run it. Generally speaking, adding users or groups to a key's ACL does little harm, but careful, you can open holes in the security of Windows XP so wide that users and hackers through them. And if the edit you're making affects more than one computer or user, deploying it as a security template. (See "Deploying Security Templates," later in this chapter.) Tip In step 4, you type all or part of the user or group name you want to add to the key's don't have a clue what the name is, you can search for it. First, if possible, narrow by choosing a location as I described in step 3. Then click Advanced, and click Find the name of the user or group you want to add, and click OK. You can further narrow by clicking Object Types, and then clearing the Built-In Security Principals check box. Removing Users from ACLs Here's how to remove a user or group from a key's ACL: In Regedit, click the key with the ACL you want to edit. 1. On the Edit menu, click Permissions. 2. Click the user or group you want to remove, and click Remove. 3. Caution Be wary of removing groups from keys' ACLs. Generally, the ACLs Windows XP after installing it (Setup Security) are the bare minimum users to start and use the operating system. If you remove the Users Users group from a key, users in those groups can't read the key's this is likely going to mangle the operating system or an application. remove the Administrators group from a key, you might not be able the computer at all. Removing individual users from a key's ACL isn't 166 remove users from their profile hives' ACLs, though. Doing so prevents from accessing their own settings, of which they should have full control. Assigning Special Permissions Special permissions give you more granular control of a key's ACL than the basic Full Read permissions. You can allow or deny users the ability to create subkeys, set values, values, and so on. You can get very detailed. Here's how: In Regedit, click the key with the ACL you want to edit. 1. On the Edit menu, click Permissions. 2. In the Group Or User Names list, click the user or group for whom you want permissions. Add the user or group if necessary. Then click Advanced. 3. Double-click the user or group to whom you want to give special permissions. Permission Entry For Name dialog box shown in Figure 7-2. 4. 167 In the Apply Onto drop-down list, click one of the following: This Key Only. Applies the permissions to the selected key only. → This Key And Subkeys. Applies the permissions to the selected key subkeys. In other words, it applies them to the entire branch. → Subkeys Only. Applies the permissions to all the key's subkeys but not itself. → 5. In the Permissions list, select the Allow or Deny check box for each permission allow or deny: Full Control. All the following permissions. → Query Value. Read a value from the key. → Set Value. Set a value in the key. → Create Subkey. Create subkeys in the key. → Enumerate Subkeys. Identify the key's subkeys. → Notify. Receive notification events from the key. → Create Link. Create symbolic links in the key. → Delete. Delete the key or its values. → Write DAC. Write the key's discretionary access control list. → Write Owner. Change the key's owner. → Read Control. Read the key's discretionary access control list. → 6. A word about inheritance is necessary here. With inheritance enabled, subkeys permissions of their parent keys. In other words, if a key gives a group full control, all subkeys also give that group full control. In fact, when you view the subkeys' ACLs, the box next to Full Control is shaded for that group because you can't change inherited permissions. There are a few things you can do to configure inheritance. First you can prevent a subkey inheriting its parent key's permissions: In the Advanced Security Settings For Key dialog the Inherit From Parent The Permission Entries That Apply To Child Objects check box. can replace the ACLs of a key's subkeys, effectively resetting an entire branch to match ACL. Select the Replace Permission Entries On All Child Objects With Entries Shown Apply To Child Objects check box. Mapping Default Permissions Understanding the registry's default permissions is useful if you're an IT professional software. Knowing whether members of the Users group can change a particular setting test applications prior to deployment and determine if the application works with permissions. If you determine that an application does work properly with the default permissions, it's good to go. If you determine that an application doesn't work properly with permissions, you must either fix the program or change the offending key's permissions. easiest way to do that, of course, is using security templates. First you must understand the three fundamental groups in Windows XP: Users, Power Administrators. Through these groups, Windows XP provides different levels of access on each group's needs: Users. This group has the highest security because the default permissions given allow its members to change operating system data or other users' settings. Generally, • 168 computers. Last, this group gives its members full control over everything in their user profile, including their profile hives (HKCU). What frequently keeps IT professionals from assigning users to this group is that members can't usually run legacy applications. Rather than assign users to another group, deal with this problem by applying a compatible security template, which you learn how to do in the section titled "Deploying Security Templates," later in this chapter. Power Users. This group provides backward compatibility for running programs that aren't certified for Windows XP. The default permissions give this group the ability to change many per-computer operating system and program settings. Generally, if you have legacy applications that users can't run as members of the Users group and you're not going to use security templates, adding those users to the Power Users group allows the applications to run. This group doesn't have enough permission to install most applications, though; members can't change operating system files or install services. The permissions given to the Power Users group is somewhere in the middle of the Users and Administrators groups. It's similar to the Users group in Microsoft Windows NT 4.0. And no, members of this group can't add themselves to the Administrators group. • Administrators. This group provides full control of the entire computer. Its members can change all operating system and application files. They can change all settings in the registry. Also, they can take ownership of keys and change a key's ACL. IT professionals are often tempted to add users to this group to avoid having trouble deploying applications that are otherwise difficult to install or run. Don't. Because users in this group can install anything they like or change any setting they like, viruses are free to do their damage and users are free to subject their configurations to the inevitable bout of human error. To secure your enterprise's desktops and reduce downtime, reserve this group for actual administrators. If you're a power user, don't add your account to this group for the same reasons. Instead, when you need to perform an administrative task, use a secondary logon to start a program as Administrator: Hold down the Shift key while you right-click the program's shortcut, click Run As, and then type the account name and password that you want to use to run the program. • Table 7-1 on the next page describes the registry's default permissions after installing Windows XP from scratch. Keep in mind that the resulting permissions are different if you upgrade from an earlier version of Windows to Windows XP. I got these permissions from the security template that you use to restore Windows XP to out of box security. I've focused on the Users and Power Users groups because these are the primary issue. In most of these cases, the Administrators group has full control, as do the Creator Owner and System built-in accounts. In most cases—but not all—each key's permissions replace all subkeys' permissions. This is through the magic of inheritance, which you learned about in the last section. Table 7-1: Default Permissions in the Registry Branch Users Power users hklm\software Read Special hklm\software\classes Read Special hklm\software\classes\hlp Read Read hklm\software\classes\helpfile Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\ads\providers\ldap\extensions Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\ads\providers\nds Read Read 169 hklm\software\microsoft\ads\providers\nwcompat Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\ads\providers\winnt Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\command processor Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\cryptography Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\cryptography\calais None None hklm\software\microsoft\driver signing Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\enterprisecertificates Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\msdtc None None hklm\software\microsoft\netdde None None hklm\software\microsoft\non-driver signing Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\ole Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\protected storage system provider None None hklm\software\microsoft\rpc Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\secure Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\systemcertificates Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\upnp device host Read None hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\accessibility Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\aedebug Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\asr\commands Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\classes Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\drivers32 Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\efs Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\font drivers Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\fontmapper Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion \image file execution options Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\inifilemapping Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\perflib None None hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\perflib\009 None None hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\profilelist Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\secedit Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\setup \recoveryconsole Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\svchost Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\terminal server\install\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\runonce Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\time zones Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\windows Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows nt\currentversion\winlogon Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\explorer \user shell folders Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\group policy None None hklm\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\installer None None hklm\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\policies None None hklm\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\reliability Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\runonce Read Read 170 hklm\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\runonceex Read Read hklm\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\telephony Read Special hklm\software\policies Read Read hklm\system Read Read hklm\system\clone None None hklm\system\controlset001 None None hklm\system\controlset001\services\dhcp\configurations Read Read hklm\system\controlset001\services\dhcp\parameters Read Read hklm\system\controlset001\services\dhcp\parameters\options Read Read hklm\system\controlset001\services\dnscache\parameters Read Read hklm\system\controlset001\services\mrxdav\encrypteddirectories None None hklm\system\controlset001\services\netbt\parameters Read Read hklm\system\controlset001\services\netbt\parameters\interfaces Read Read hklm\system\controlset001\services\tcpip\linkage Read Read hklm\system\controlset001\services\tcpip\parameters Read Read hklm\system\controlset001\services\tcpip\parameters\adapters Read Read hklm\system\controlset001\services\tcpip\parameters\interfaces Read Read hklm\system\controlset002 None None hklm\system\controlset003 None None hklm\system\controlset004 None None hklm\system\controlset005 None None hklm\system\controlset006 None None hklm\system\controlset007 None None hklm\system\controlset008 None None hklm\system\controlset009 None None hklm\system\controlset010 None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\control\class None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\control\keyboard layout Read Read hklm\system\currentcontrolset\control\keyboard layouts Read Read hklm\system\currentcontrolset\control\network Read Read hklm\system\currentcontrolset\control\securepipeservers\winreg None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\control\session manager\executive None Special hklm\system\currentcontrolset\control\timezoneinformation None Special hklm\system\currentcontrolset\control\wmi\security None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\enum None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\hardware profiles None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\appmgmt\security None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\clipsrv\security None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\cryptsvc\security None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\dnscache Read Read hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\ersvc\security None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\eventlog\security None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\irenum\security None None 171 hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\netbt Read Read hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\netdde\security None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\netddedsdm\security None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\remoteaccess Read Read hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\rpcss\security None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\samss\security None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\scarddrv\security None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\scardsvr\security None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\stisvc\security None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\sysmonlog\log queries None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\tapisrv\security None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\tcpip Read Read hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\w32time\security None None hklm\system\currentcontrolset\services\wmi\security None None hku\.default Read Read hku\.default\software\microsoft\netdde None None hku\.default\software\microsoft\protected storage system provider None None hku\.default\software\microsoft\systemcertificates\root\protectedroots None None When you see the word Special in the Power Users column, it means the group has special permissions on that key (and subkeys in most cases), and that permission is usually the ability to modify values. The Power Users group doesn't ever get the Full Control, Create Link, Change Permissions, or Take Ownership permission for any key in the registry, though. The interesting thing about this table is that Windows XP gives the Users group Read permission and the Power Users group special permissions for all of HKLM\SOFTWARE. The remaining entries in the table are exceptions to this rule that limit access to specific keys in HKLM\SOFTWARE. Figuring out which keys an application uses is part science but mostly art. Sometimes I simply open the program's binary file in a text editor and look for strings that look like keys. Most often, I use a tool such as Winternals Registry Monitor, which you learn how to use in Chapter 8, "Finding Registry Settings," to monitor registry activity while I run the program I'm putting through its paces. Then I record the different keys that the program references and check to see whether the Users or Power Users groups have the required permissions for those keys. Last, well-behaved applications report errors when they can't read or write a value in the registry. I wouldn't count on this behavior, however, because ill-behaved programs just bounce along happily even after encountering a registry error. Taking Ownership of Keys By default, Windows XP assigns ownership to the HKLM and HKCU as follows: Administrators own each subkey in HKLM. • Users own each subkey in their profile hives, HKCU. • If you have full control of a key (and administrators usually do), you can take ownership of it if you're not already the owner: 172 On the Owner tab, click the new owner. 3. Auditing Registry Access Auditing registry access is a great way to track down registry settings, and it's one of the that I discuss in Chapter 8, "Finding Registry Settings." It's also a reasonable way to monitor to sensitive settings. The problem with auditing the registry is that you must either get very about which key you're auditing or pay a severe performance penalty by auditing too registry. It's a fine line between getting the information you need and grinding the computer Auditing a key is a three-step process. First you must enable Audit Policy. You can do network using Group Policy, but that seems silly considering the scope of the performance you're using auditing as a troubleshooting tool or to track down a setting, turn on Audit Policy Click Start, Control Panel, Performance And Maintenance, Administrative Tools, and Local Policy. In the left pane, under Local Policies, click Audit Policy. In the right pane, doubleObject Access, and then select the Success and Failure check boxes. After you've enabled Policy, use Regedit to audit individual keys: In Regedit, click the key you want to audit. 1. On the Edit menu, click Permission; then click Advanced. 2. On the Auditing tab, shown in Figure 7-3, click Add. Figure 7-3: Audit keys sparingly because doing so can significantly impact performance. 3. In the Select Users, Computers, Or Groups dialog box, click Locations, and then computer, domain, or organizational unit in which you want to look for the user or 4. 173 to add to the key's audit list, and then click OK. In the Auditing Entry For Name dialog box, in the Access list, select both the Successful Failed check boxes next to the activities for which you want to audit successful attempts. These correspond to the permissions you learned about in the section "Setting Keys' Permissions," earlier in this chapter: Full Control → Query Value → Set Value → Create Subkey → Enumerate Subkeys → Notify → Create Link → Delete → Write DAC → Write Owner → Read Control → 6. After enabling Audit Policy and auditing specific keys, check the results using Event open Event Viewer, click Start, Control Panel, Performance And Maintenance, Administrative and Event Viewer. In Event Viewer's left pane, click Security. You see each hit in the right the most recent hits are at the top of the list. Double-click any entry to see more details. Properties dialog box tells you what type of access Windows XP detected, the object type, process that accessed the key or value. Chapter 8, "Finding Registry Settings," shows use this information to figure out where Windows XP or a program stores certain settings registry. Preventing Local Registry Access Whenever I bring up registry security, the inevitable question is always how to prevent accessing the registry. You can't. Remember that the registry contains settings that the be able to read for Windows XP to work properly. Users also must have full control of hives for the operating system and applications to save their preferences. You can't access—nor do you want to prevent it. The best you should hope for is limiting users' ability the registry using Regedit or other registry editors. The most elegant way to prevent access to Regedit is by enabling the Prevent access editing tools policy. When users start Regedit, all they see is an error message that says, editing has been disabled by your administrator. The problem with this policy is that not editors honor this policy. Nothing prevents a determined user from downloading a registry editor, of which there are plenty, and using it. That's the type of user you either or hire for your IT department. Another possibility is using Software Restriction Policies, can learn more about in Help and Support Center. Even this doesn't prevent users from shareware registry editors unless you completely restrict them to a short list of applications. 174 Securing local access to the Windows XP registry is one thing; securing remote access Windows XP gives members of the local Administrators and Backup Operators groups access to the registry. Because the Domain Admins group is a member of each computer's Administrators group, all domain administrators can connect the registry of any computer joined to the domain. So far so good, and Windows XP limits remote access to the registry than earlier versions of Windows. There might be limited scenarios in which you want to open remote access to computers' For example, in Active Directory, you might create an administrators group for each organizational unit and want to give it the ability to edit computers' registries if they belong to the organizational unit. To enable that group to remotely edit a computer's registry, add that group to the key HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentcontrolSet\Control \SecurePipeServers\winreg. The problem going to run into is that although adding a group to winreg allows remote access, each still determines which keys the group can change. So to allow a remote user or group setting on the computer, add that user or group to the local Users, Power Users, or Administrators group. Caution Don't go nuts and open each computer's registry to security threats by adding groups to the winreg key's ACL. Doing so creates a hole large for many Trojan viruses to get their hooks into Windows XP predators to hack away at your infrastructure. The best practice is to enough alone, and limit remote registry access to domain administrators. Deploying Security Templates You use security templates to create a security policy for your computer or network. using the techniques you learned about in this chapter to hunt-and-peck security on security templates give you a single place to configure a range of security settings and those settings to numerous computers. It's a little used, often misunderstood tool that many of the available security settings in one place to make managing security a far easier saddens me when administrators tell me their security woes and yet they've never heard templates, which would deal with most of their problems admirably. Security templates professional's best friend. Sold yet? I hope so. You use a variety of tools to create and apply templates. First you use security templates and edit templates. Then you use either Security Configuration And Analysis or Group apply templates. This section walks you through the process of using these tools, starting creating the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) that you'll use to edit templates, with deploying templates on a network. First here's an explanation of the different security settings in a template. The following the different categories of settings you see in a security template. Following each category description of the settings you can define within it. Account Policies. Password Policy, Account Lockout Policy, and Kerberos Policy • Local Policies. Audit Policy, User Rights Assignment, and Security Options • Event Log. Application, System, and Security Event Log settings • Restricted Groups. Membership of security-sensitive groups • 175 File System. Permissions for files and folders • Security templates are nothing more than text files that have the .inf extension. You can edit them, and so on. The file looks much like an INI file. You can create your own templates from scratch, which I don't recommend because it's too much work with so much you can customize one of the predefined templates that come with Windows XP. Customizing predefined template is definitely the way to go because most of the work is already done Note that because only the Administrators group has permissions to change the default template folder, %SYSTEMROOT%\Security \Templates, only administrators can edit security templates. Creating a Security Management Console To make your job easier, create an MMC console that includes all the tools you'll need analyzing, and applying security templates: Click Start, Run; then type mmc, and click OK. 1. On the File menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in. 2. In the Add/Remove Snap-in dialog box, click Add. 3. Click Security Templates, and click Add. 4. Click Security Configuration And Analysis, and click Add. 5. After creating your console, save it to a file for quick access. On the File menu, click Save. call the file Templates.msc. MMC saves your file in your Administrative Tools folder. again quickly, click Start, All Programs, Administrative Tools, and then Templates (or what called it). Figure 7-4 shows the console that I created as described in this section. Figure 7-4: You build templates with security templates, and you analyze and apply templates Security Configuration And Analysis. 176 Windows XP comes with a small gaggle of predefined security templates. You almost never create a new template because you can usually just customize one of the predefined templates save it to a different file. They provide starting points for applying security policies scenarios, whether those scenarios include one, one hundred, or thousands of computers. following predefined security policies are in %SYSTEMROOT% \Security\Templates by default: Default security (Setup security.inf). This template contains the default security that the setup program applies when you install Windows XP. It includes file registry permissions, too. If you need information about the operating system's permissions, you'll find that information here. You can use this template to computer to the original Windows XP security settings, which you'd do by applying Security Configuration And Analysis, but don't deploy it using Group Policy. • Compatible (Compatws.inf). This template contains security settings that relax on the Users group enough to allow legacy applications to run. This is preferable users from the Users group to the Power Users or, oh my, the Administrators Specifically, this template changes the file system and registry permissions granted Users group so that they're consistent with legacy and other applications that aren't for Windows XP. This template also assumes that the administrator doesn't want the Power Users group, so it moves users from Power Users to the Users template applies to workstations only, and you shouldn't apply it to servers. • Secure (Secure*.inf). These templates tighten security settings that are least likely application compatibility. Securedc.inf is for domain controllers, and Securews. workstations. It applies strong password, lockout, and audit settings, for example. limits the user of LAN Manager and NTLM authentication protocols by configuring XP to send only NTLM version 2 responses and configuring servers to refuse LAN responses. Last, this template restricts anonymous users by preventing enumerating account names, enumerating shares, and translating SIDs (see "Learning the Basics"). Test this template carefully before deploying it. • Highly Secure (hisec*.inf). These templates are supersets of the previous templates, they apply even more restrictions. Hisecdc.inf is for domain controllers, and Hisecws. for workstations. For example, this template sets the levels of encryption and Windows XP requires for authentication and for data moving over secure channels. requires strong encrypting and signing. Last, it removes all members of the Power groups and makes sure that only the Domain Admins group and the local Administrator members of the local Administrators group. Test these templates to ensure compatibility your infrastructure and applications because only certified applications are likely applying it. • System root security (Rootsec.inf). This template defines root permissions Windows XP file system. It contains no registry permissions. It does apply permissions the root of %SYSTEMDRIVE%. You can apply this template to a computer to restore permissions to the root of the system drive or to apply the same permissions to volumes. • No Terminal Server user SID (Notssid.inf). This template removes unnecessary Server SIDs from the file system and registry when running Terminal Server in compatibility mode. If possible, run Terminal Server in full security mode instead, which the Terminal Server SID isn't used at all. • Most of these security templates are incremental. They modify the default or existing settings if those settings are already configured on the computer. Other than the Setup template, they don't configure the default security settings before changing the computer's 177 You can view these templates in your new MMC console. In the console's left pane, doublesecurity template to open it. By default, the templates are under C:\Windows \Security\Templates Security Templates. You can add a new path, however. Right-click Security Templates, click New Template Search Path. You'll see both paths in Security Templates. If you want a path from Security Templates, right-click it, and then click Delete. Building a Custom Security Template The hard way to create a custom security template is to start from scratch: In Security Templates, right-click the folder in which you want to create the new and then click New Template. 1. In Template Name, type the name of the new template in Description, type a brief description of your new template, and click OK. 2. In the left pane, double-click the new security template to open it. Select a security such as Registry, in the left pane, and configure that area's security settings pane. 3. That's the hard way, and definitely not the way I recommend. First it's too labor-intensive. it's error-prone. The best way to create a security template is to start with one of the templates, save it to a new file, and then edit it—carefully. Most of the times I've done this, with the Compatws.inf template file and customized it as necessary to give a legacy enough room to work. Here's how: In Security Templates, double-click C:\Windows\Security\Templates. 1. Right-click the predefined template you want to customize, click Save As, type name for the security template, and click Save. 2. In the left pane, double-click the new security template to open it. Select a security such as Registry, in the left pane, and configure that area's security settings pane. 3. Because this is a registry book, I'll give you a little more detail about configuring registry template. In the left pane of Security Templates, double-click your template, and then click You'll see a list of registry keys in the right pane. To add a key to the list, right-click Registry, then click Add Key. Because the list already covers all of HKLM, add exceptions to the the template defines for HKLM\SOFTWARE and HKLM\SYSTEM. To edit a key's double-click it, and then select one of the following options: Configure This Key Then. After selecting this option, select one of the following: Propagate Inheritable Permissions To All Subkeys. The key's subkey key's security settings, assuming that the subkeys' security settings inheritance. In case of a conflict, the subkey's explicit permissions override permissions they inherit from the parent key. → Replace Existing Permissions On All Subkeys With Inheritable Permissions. The key's permissions override all its subkey's permissions. In other words, subkey's permissions will be identical to the parent key's permissions. If this option and apply the template, the change is permanent unless you change applying a different template to the registry. → • 178 To edit the actual permissions that you want the template to apply to the key, click Edit You do this in the same Security For Name dialog box that you saw earlier in this chapter. add and remove groups. You can allow or deny permissions for different users and perform various tasks. You can audit users' and groups' access to the key. You can also ownership of the key. When you apply the template to a computer or deploy the template Group Policy, the key receives the permissions you define here. Analyzing a Computer's Configuration With your custom template in hand, you can use it to analyze a computer's security configuration. Security Configuration And Analysis enables you to compare the current state of the security configuration to the settings defined in the template. You can use this tool immediate changes to the computer's configuration, such as when troubleshooting a problem. can also use it to track and ensure a certain level of security as part of your enterprise management program, detecting flaws in security as they occur over time. Here's how to analyze a computer's security using Security Configuration And Analysis: Right-click Security Configuration And Analysis, which you added to your console section titled "Creating a Security Management Console," earlier in this chapter, click Open Database. 1. In the Open Database dialog box, do one of the following: To create a new analysis database, type the name of your new database Name, and click Open (you don't have a database initially). Then in Template dialog box, click a template and click Open. → To open an existing analysis database, type the name of an existing database Name, and click Open. → 2. Right-click Security Configuration And Analysis, click Analyze Computer Now, accept the default log file path or specify a new one. 3. Security Configuration And Analysis compares the computer's current security against database. If you import multiple templates into the database, which you can do by rightSecurity Configuration And Analysis and then clicking Import Template, the tool templates together to create one template. If it detects a conflict, the last template you precedence (last in, first out). After Security Configuration And Analysis analyzes the displays results that you can browse. The organization of these results is the same as templates. The difference is that Security Configuration And Analysis displays indicators whether a current setting matches or is inconsistent with a setting defined in the template: Red X. The setting is in the analysis database and on the computer, but the two don't match. The trick is to drill down through settings that have a red X next to you isolate the specific problem. • Green Check Mark. The setting is in the analysis database and on the computer, two match. • Question Mark. The setting is not in the analysis database and was not analyzed. might also mean that the user who ran Security Configuration And Analysis permissions necessary to do so. • Exclamation Point. The setting is in the analysis database but not on the computer. • 179 What do you do with any discrepancies you find between the analysis database and the settings? First you can update the database by double-clicking the troublesome setting Edit Security (see Figure 7-5). This updates the database but not the template, however. doesn't change the computer's settings. To do that, see the next section. You can also more appropriate template for that computer or an updated template into the database analyze it again. To avoid problems that result from merging templates, consider creating database if you use a new or updated template. Figure 7-5: You can view and edit settings in this dialog box. Modifying a Computer's Configuration After you've created a security template and verified it by analyzing computers using Configuration And Analysis, you're ready to apply it to the computer: Right-click Security Configuration And Analysis, and then click Open Database. 1. In the Open Database dialog box, do one of the following: To create a new database, type the name of your new database in File click Open. Then in the Import Template dialog box, click a template, and → To open an existing database, type the name of an existing database in and click Open. If you modified a database without updating the template it's based, make sure you open the existing database. → 2. Right-click Security Configuration And Analysis, click Configure Computer Now, accept the default log file path or specify a new one. 3. 180 In "Modifying a Computer's Configuration," you learned how to apply a security template computer manually. This is fine for one-off scenarios, but it's not the way to deploy templates to multiple computers on the network. To deploy templates on a network, Policy: Create a new GPO, and then edit it. In the Group Policy editor, right-click Security and then click Import Policy. Click the template you want to apply, and then click Open. It's so simple, but I don't want to make light of this. Deploying security templates on your requires careful planning. You must first identify the templates that your network requires. must identify which organizational units get which security templates. For example, department uses a legacy application that requires the Users group to have full control registry keys, document and test the security template, and then import the template that you assign to the sales department's organizational unit. Ideally, you'll account templates early in the deployment planning process. What really ends up happening, planned carefully, is that IT professionals use security templates as a big fire hose to created by lack of foresight and planning. 181 This chapter shows you how to relate a setting in the user interface to a value in the registry. users can use this information to find their own registry hacks. IT professionals get the this stick, though; they can use the information to locate settings in the registry for purposes. For example, after they've found settings, they can build administrative templates them and deploy the settings on their network. They can write scripts that automatically settings they found. They can even use this information to help build and deploy better profiles. Three basic techniques are available for tracking down settings. The first, and often most is comparing two snapshots of the registry. Take one snapshot before changing a setting second after you've made a change. The second method is monitoring the registry changes that a program makes. Monitoring is often difficult because of the way Microsoft XP and programs thrash the registry. Nonetheless, with a good tool and the tips you read an occasionally useful method. The last is auditing, which is the most difficult to use effectively causes performance degradation. Because the first method is often most effective, that's start. Comparing REG Files Comparing two REG files is often the easiest way to discover where in the registry Windows stores a setting. Create these REG files before and after changing a setting that is interface and that you know is somewhere in the registry. This is how I found the location settings that Tweak UI includes and that I documented in Chapter 5, "Mapping Tweak exported HKCU to a REG file. I changed a setting in Tweak UI and exported the same second REG file. Then I compared the two files to figure out which value changed when the setting in Tweak UI. You can use this method to trace just about any setting that interface to its location in the registry. The only disadvantage to comparing two registry files is that the process requires a filetool. Windows XP comes with such a tool, though, which I'll tell you about later in this section. advantages of this method are many. First it's quick and easy. Second its results are accurate. If you don't let a lot of time pass between each snapshot, the differences between should include only those settings you changed. Also, REG files are easy to read, so you any problems deciphering the results. Now for some details. Recall that Registry Editor (Regedit) can export all or part of the text files that have the .reg extension (REG files). A REG file looks similar to an INI file. one or more sections; the name of each section is the path of a registry key. Each section the key's values. The format of each value is name = value. If the value is a string spaces, value must be quoted. Each key's default value looks like @= value. Chapter 9, Registry Changes," describes REG files in all their glory, including how to interpret the types of values in them. To export the registry to a REG file, click the key that you want Then on the File menu, click Export. In the Export Registry File dialog box, click Registration Files (*.reg) to export to a version 4 ANSI REG file. Remember from Chapter the Registry Editor," that Regedit supports REG files in two different file formats: ANSI and Many file-comparison tools work only with the first, thus you must create version 4 ANSI for them. The tools I talk about in this chapter support Unicode text files, though. If familiar with ANSI and Unicode character encoding, see Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics." 182 user interface and, more importantly, the speed at which it compares very large text files. Another choice is probably already installed on your computer: Microsoft Word 2002. It's slower than WinDiff, but you're probably already familiar with how to use this word processor. In any case, the overall process is the same: Export the registry to a REG file. Name the file something like Before.reg. If you have a general idea where the setting is in the registry, export that branch; otherwise, export the entire registry, including HKCU and HKLM. 1. Change a setting in the user interface or perform some other action that you're trying to trace to the registry. For example, if you want to see where a program stores its settings during installation, install the program. 2. Export the registry to a second REG file. Name it After.reg. Make sure you export the same branch using the same file format as you did in step 1. If you don't duplicate the process exactly, the files won't match, and finding the difference will be difficult. 3. Compare Before.reg and After.reg using your favorite file-comparison utility. The differences between the two files are your changes. The file-comparison tool points out only the values that changed, because only the values under each section heading change, but if you look a little higher in the file, you'll see the key that contains the values. 4. All-in-One Solutions LastBit Software produces a program called RegSnap that performs the process I described in this section. You don't have to create any REG files or compare two REG files with a filecomparison tool. RegSnap does the whole bit for you, making it a cool program to have around if you do this sort of thing on a regular basis. You can download the shareware version of RegSnap from http://www.webdon.com. Give it a try; if you like it, it's very inexpensive. It comes in a standard edition and a professional edition. The professional edition enables you to work with remote registries; otherwise, the standard edition is sufficient to locate a setting in the registry. The only problem I have with RegSnap is that its user interface is very clunky. ThatleadsmetoRegView,fromVincentChiu.Thisprogramisav ailableat http://home.xnet.com/~vchiu/regview.shtml. I like this program because it has a cleaner user interface. You can use it to edit and search the registry and to compare different versions of it. RegView doesn't have a setup program, but it really doesn't need one. Figure 8-1 shows the result in RegView of comparing a snapshot to the current registry. RegView's output is a little easier to read than RegSnap's output, but RegView is quite a bit slower at producing it. Figure 8-1: RegView is an enhanced registry editor. If turn-around time is important to you, use RegSnap. If you're after an enhanced registry editor that can do a search-and-replace as well as compare snapshots of the registry, you should consider RegView. Both shareware programs are inexpensive, but if you don't want to shell out the money, stick with the methods you learn in this chapter. 183 There are a few ways to make this process more efficient. Comparing two large REG files can take a while—even using WinDiff. If you're pretty certain you know the general vicinity of a setting in the registry, export just that branch. For example, if you know a setting is a per-user setting, export just HKCU. If you suspect it's somewhere in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft, search just that branch. You can always resort to exporting the entire registry if your hunch isn't right. Another way to streamline the process is to ignore differences that are irrelevant. Some settings change whether or not you doing anything. For example, Plug and Play values change frequently, as does the configuration of some services. The easiest way to eliminate the confusion that these inherent changes cause is to exclude HKLM\SYSTEM in your REG files. Also, the less time that elapses between snapshots, the less noise you'll have in your comparison results. Using WinDiff WinDiff is the ultimate tool for comparing two versions of a text file. Its roots are as a developer tool for comparing different versions of source files to see changes before checking them into version control. It was also useful as a debugging tool to figure out which changes in a source file might have introduced a problem. WinDiff was originally available in the Windows Software Development Kit (SDK). Microsoft included it in the last several Windows resource kits. It comes with Windows XP as part of the Windows XP Support Tools. Install the tools from \Support\Tools on your Windows XP CD. Type windiff in the Run dialog box to start it. After starting WinDiff, here's how to compare two REG files with it: On the File menu, click Compare Files. 1. Type the path and name of the first file, and click Open. 2. Type the path and name of the second file, and click Open. 3. On the View menu, click Expand, or double-click the files in the list. 4. After comparing the two files, you see results similar to Figure 8-2. WinDiff combines both files and highlights the differences in red and yellow. Differences are relative to the second file, which is why I had you open the second file after the first one. Deleted lines, present in the first file but not in the second, are red. Inserted lines, absent in the first file but present in the second, are yellow. White lines are the same in both files. You also see arrows that indicate whether a line is deleted or inserted. A left arrow (<!) indicates a line deleted from the second file, and a right arrow(!>) indicates a line inserted into the second file. WinDiff represents changed lines as deletions followed by insertions, as shown in Figure 8-2. Because WinDiff compares files line by line instead of character by character, you have to judge for yourself whether a deleted line followed by an inserted line represents a changed line of text. Press F8 to move to the next block of differences that WinDiff found; press F7 to move to the previous block of differences. 184 Figure 8-2: The two columns you see on the left side of the window represent the two files you're comparing. These columns are a roadmap of the files' differences. Using Word 2002 On the odd chance that WinDiff isn't available to you (for example, if you're not free to support tools on a customer's computer), you can use the comparison features of Word REG files. You might also prefer using Word if you're already familiar with the word processor don't want to install or learn how to use WinDiff. The only drawback is that using Word REG files is often a slow and tedious process because it's not designed for this purpose. When using Word to compare REG files, open the second REG file first, and compare REG file. This order ensures that Word indicates insertions and deletions properly. Here's compare two REG files using Word: On the File menu, click Open, type the path and name of the first REG file in the box, and click Open. 1. If the File Conversion dialog box appears, select the encoding method that makes the Preview area readable, and then click OK. You can choose between Windows (Default), MS-DOS, and Other Encoding. (Default) corresponds to ANSI, which is what version 4 REG files use. If the file 5 REG file, select the Other Encoding option, and then click Unicode in the list. 2. On the Tools menu, click Compare And Merge Documents, type the path and second REG file, and then click Merge. 3. If the File Conversion dialog box appears, select the encoding method that makes the Preview area readable. 4. Word displays the results as shown in Figure 8-3. To see the next change, click the Next the Reviewing toolbar. To see the previous change, click the Previous button. Word displays results differently depending on the view: Normal view. To switch to the normal view, click Normal on the View menu. This shown in Figure 8-3. By default, insertions are underlined. Deletions are crossed • Print Layout view. To switch to Print Layout view, click Print Layout on the View this view, you see bubbles in the right column that describe the differences between files. This view is often the easiest to read. • 185 Figure 8-3: Word is effective at comparing large REG files, but much slower than WinDiff. Tip When comparing two REG files in Word, make sure that you disable grammar spelling checking. Word isn't likely to find many correctly spelled words in a it burns up a lot of resources checking them. To disable both features, on menu, click Options. In the Options dialog box, click the Spelling & Grammar clear the Check Spelling As You Type and Check Grammar As You Type check Comparing with Reg.exe The Windows XP Support Tools, which include WinDiff, as you've already learned, install Registry Tool for Windows (Reg.exe). This program can compare two branches of the has a useful feature that helps you track down settings in the registry. Copy the branch contains the value to the temporary key (this is your first snapshot), change the setting tracking, and then compare the current key to the temporary key. Using Reg.exe this way advantage of being quite straightforward. It has the disadvantage of relying on a command rather than a graphical user interface, and if you don't remove the temporary keys from you can end up with an oversized registry that contains a bunch of data you don't need. Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes," describes all the command-line options Reg.exe. For now, here are the steps necessary to locate a setting in the registry: At the MS-DOS command prompt, type reg copy source destination /s /f, where the key you want to copy to the temporary key destination. Make sure the destination doesn't exist first; otherwise, you'll end up with a lot of when you compare the two keys. Also, if the name of either key contains spaces, the entire key in quotation marks. Don't use the full names of root keys; use 1. 186 At the MS-DOS command prompt, type reg compare key temp /s, where key is key and temp is the temporary key. 3. The following listing is a sample of the output that Reg.exe generates. Reg.exe indicates are missing from the current key with a right arrow (>) and indicates lines that were changed in the current key with a left arrow (<). In other words, you see > next to deleted and < next to new or changed values. < Value: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\control panel\desktop ActiveWndTrkTimeout REG_DWORD > Value: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\backup ActiveWndTrkTimeout REG_DWORD 0x400 < Value: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\control panel\desktop DragFullWindows REG_SZ 1 > Value: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\backup DragFullWindows REG_SZ 0 < Value: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\control panel\desktop DragHeight REG_SZ 4 < Value: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\control panel\desktop DragWidth REG_SZ 4 Result Compared: Different The operation completed successfully After you're done with the temporary key, make sure that you delete it; otherwise, you're up the registry with junk, and you won't be able to use the same temporary key comparisons. To quickly remove the temporary key, at the MS-DOS command prompt, delete key /f, where key is the name of the temporary key. The command-line option Reg.exe from prompting you to confirm that you want to remove the key. Tip An alternative method is to save a branch as a hive file, and load the hive file into change a setting in the user interface, and compare the original branch to the hive loaded in HKU. Don't forget to unload the hive file when you are finished. This advantage of not cluttering the registry with temporary keys. Chapter 9, "Scripting Changes," shows you the Reg.exe commands that enable you to save, load, and files. Auditing the Registry As I mentioned, comparing snapshots of the registry is just one method of finding monitoring is another. The first method of monitoring the registry I'm going to show you Windows XP: auditing. Use auditing only if you don't have other monitoring tools available however, because its disadvantages far outweigh its advantages for the purpose of tracing The first drawback is that auditing the registry for changes requires that you know in advance general vicinity where a setting is located because auditing the entire registry isn't practical. deciphering the results of an audit is rather cumbersome. It relies on viewing security Event Viewer, and the output isn't friendly. Auditing the registry for changes is a three-step process. First you must enable Audit do this by editing Local Security Policy. After that, you audit branches in the registry where the setting is located. You can't just audit the entire registry because doing so would bring fastest computer running Windows XP to a grinding halt. On average, the operating system applications access the registry thousands of times during a session, so recording the every one of these hits just isn't practical. Last, after changing the setting or performing you're tracking, look in Event Viewer to see which values changed. The following sections each step. 187 The first step in auditing the registry is to enable Audit Policy: Click Start, Control Panel, Performance And Maintenance, Administrative Tools, Security Policy. 1. In the left pane, under Local Policy, click Audit Policy. 2. In the right pane, double-click Audit Object Access, and then select both the Success Failure check boxes. 3. Auditing Registry Keys After enabling Audit Policy, audit the specific keys in which you think you're going to find In Regedit, click the key you want to audit. 1. On the Edit menu, point to Permission, and then click Advanced. 2. On the Auditing tab of the Advanced Security Settings dialog box, shown in Figure Add. Figure 8-4: Auditing the registry helps you track down settings in the registry. 3. In the Select Users, Computers, Or Groups dialog box, click Locations. Then computer, domain, or organizational unit in which you want to look for the user or want to audit. 4. In the Enter The Object Names To Select box, type the name of the user or group to add to the key's audit list, and then click OK. 5. In the Access list, select the Successful and Failed check boxes next to the activities want to audit. The following list of permissions corresponds to the permissions about in Chapter 7, "Managing Registry Security." 6. 188 Set Value → Create Subkey → Enumerate Subkeys → Notify → Create Link → Delete → Write DAC → Write Owner → Read Control → Tip Audit carefully to avoid too much of a performance penalty. For you're trying to find the location where an application saves a setting, Set Value, change the value in the user interface, and then check your Analyzing the Results The final step after enabling Audit Policy and auditing specific keys is checking the results Event Viewer. To open Event Viewer, click Start, Control Panel, Performance And Maintenance, Administrative Tools, and Event Viewer. In Event Viewer's left pane, click Security. You in the right pane, and the most recent hits are at the top of the list. Double-click any more details. The Event Properties dialog box tells you what type of access Windows XP the object type, and the process that accessed the key or value. Monitoring the Registry Monitoring the registry for changes is different than comparing snapshots in that you're registry access as it happens. Thus, you can change a setting in the user interface and the monitor to see what value Windows XP wrote to the registry. I tend to monitor instead of compare snapshots when I'm looking for a large number of settings. When doing helpful to keep the noise down to a minimum. I'll show you how to reduce the noise in "Filtering for Better Results," later in this chapter. My favorite monitoring tool is Regmon from Winternals. You can download a freeware this tool from http://www.sysinternals.com. Regmon Enterprise Edition is available http://www.winternals.com and is inexpensive. The difference between the two is that the edition enables you to monitor a remote registry, which makes the process a little easier work on one computer and see the results on a different computer. Although the freeware Regmon contains all the enterprise edition's other features, I purchased and use Enterprise Edition for the convenience of remote monitoring. Download either version of Regmon. The freeware version doesn't have a setup program, just run it from the directory in which you unzip it. Regmon Enterprise Edition comes with program that adds a shortcut for Regmon to the Start menu. The following sections show to use this hot product. Using Winternals Regmon Figure 8-5 shows the freeware version of Regmon. Every time Windows XP or programs the registry, Regmon adds a row to the window. The first two columns are a line number 189 column gives you additional information, such as the contents of a value. The most information here is the type of access, the path of the key, and the Other column. column is too narrow to display the entire contents of a row, you can point to the data, and displays its full contents in a balloon. Nifty. Figure 8-5: Regmon's window quickly fills up with uninteresting information. This is Regmon's window seconds after starting it. Two columns, Request and Other, need more attention. Request tells you what Windows program was trying to do. The requests you see in the Request column are different application programming interface (API) functions and are shown in Table 8-1. The most type of request is SetValue, of course. The Other column contains a variety of information, depending on the type of request. Again, see Table 8-1. For example, if the request is QueryValue, the Other column contains the data in the value. If the request is OpenKey, the Other contains the key's handle. Table 8-1: Regmon Request Types and Data Request type Data in the Other column CloseKey Handle of closed key CreateKey Handle of new key CreateKeyEx Handle of new key DeleteKey None DeleteValue None DeleteValueKey None EnumerateKey Name of next subkey EnumKeyEx Name of next subkey 190 EnumerateValue None FlushKey None OpenKey Handle of open key OpenKeyEx Handle of open key QueryKey Name of key QueryValue Value's data QueryValueEx Value's data SetValue Data stored in value SetValueEx Data stored in value Filtering for Better Results If you start Regmon and change some settings in the Windows XP user interface, you won't lot of luck sifting through Regmon's output to find the setting. For example, opening Explorer accesses the registry about 5,000 times. Clicking Options on Windows Explorer's menu accesses the registry a few hundred times. Sorting through all that output isn't practical. experience improves dramatically if you learn how to use filtering. The first thing you can do, particularly if you're interested in finding the value in which Windows stores a setting, is filter out everything but write requests. On Regmon's Edit menu, Filter/Highlight. Then clear all the check boxes except Log Successes and Log Writes. Regmon report only successful writes to the registry. This alone significantly reduces the amount you see. Get more specific, though, and Regmon will all but hand you the setting for which looking. The asterisk (*) in the Include box is a wildcard that matches everything; this is filter. To get more specific, limit Regmon to certain processes. For example, if you're searching setting in Windows Explorer, look only for registry access by the process explorer.exe. searching for settings in Tweak UI, look only for registry access by the process Tweakui. Regmon's Edit menu, click Filter/Highlight. In the Include box, type the name of the process want Regmon to display in the window. Include multiple processes separated by a semicolon. easiest way to figure out the name of a process is to look in Windows Task Manager. Ctrl+Shift+Esc, and then look on the Processes tab. If in doubt, you can also look in output for the process name, which is how I usually find it. You might see the process Rundll32. This is a special program that executes APIs in Dynamic Link Libraries (DLL). Because have many different instances of this process running at any time, filtering this process difficult. My last tip for how you can limit the output of Regmon is to filter for specific keys. general knowledge of where Windows XP stores a setting in the registry, filter the output only lines that contain that key. For example, if you know that a setting is somewhere HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft, filter Regmon's output so it shows only SetValue requests key. You'll see very little output in Regmon's window when you change that value interface, and one of the lines is likely to be the value for which you're searching. Tip You can combine subkeys and process names in your filter. Separate each with a Regmon compares your criteria to all the columns you see in the window, so you multiple columns at one time. You can filter results by process, request type, and same time, for instance. 191 Chapter List Chapter 9: Scripting Registry Changes Chapter 10: Deploying User Profiles Chapter 11: Mapping Windows Installer Chapter 12: Deploying with Answer Files Chapter 13: Cloning Disks with Sysprep Chapter 14: Microsoft Office XP User Settings Chapter 15: Working Around IT Problems Part Overview There are two ways to deploy Windows XP and other applications: throw them out there what sticks, or carefully plan and design configurations. I prefer the second option, and point of this part. You learn how the registry fits into the deployment of Windows XP. This part begins with building and deploying user profiles. Then you learn about the registry for Windows Installer and how to remove errant Windows Installer–based settings from Three chapters in this part are about how to deploy settings with Windows XP and Office the last chapter in this part describes how to fix a variety of IT problems that have solutions registry. This part of the book is primarily for IT professionals. 192 Overview Think of what life would be like for an IT professional without any sort of automation. settings, you'd have to get up from your desk, take the 10-minute elevator ride to the 12th find the user's computer in the maze of cubicles. And at the end of this maze, you don't you get a user who's angry that you're interrupting his or her game of Spider. Life is better don't have to deal face-to-face with real users (wink). Scripting is a more efficient way to deploy and change settings. Notice that I didn't use manage, which better applies to policies than scripting. If you need to manage settings, see 6, "Using Registry-Based Policy." Scripting is useful on many levels. You can write changes some group of settings and then test it in the lab before deploying. And if you update the script, you can easily regression-test it to see how your changes affect Simply put, I like scripting registry changes because scripts are repeatable without the human error each time I use them to change settings. You can also deploy scripts without desktops. You can use your software management infrastructure or some dodgier methodology you don't have an infrastructure to deploy scripts without having to interrupt users' work. This chapter describes five of my favorite scripting methods. The first is INF files. I like the of INF files and the fact that there's no registry setting they can't edit, so I describe them second is REG files, which are easy to make by exporting settings from Registry Editor also describe how to use Console Registry Tool for Windows (Reg.exe) to edit the registry MS-DOS command prompt, which is a terrific tool for changing settings from batch describe how to write scripts that change settings. Microsoft Windows XP comes with Script Host, and this chapter shows you how to write scripts using the JScript and languages. Finally, I describe how to build a Windows Installer package file to deploy settings. technique is great because you can deploy those settings through Active Directory Policy. Because I cover so many different techniques, the first section, "Choosing a Technique," helps you choose the scripting method that's best for you. Choosing a Technique Table 9-1 lays out the substantial differences—as I see them—between the scripting covered in this chapter. Each column represents one of the five scripting methods that I this chapter. For example, the Batch column describes using Reg.exe in a batch file. column describes Windows Installer package files that include registry settings. First the All five methods enable you to change values as well as add keys or values. Also, Windows supports all five methods without installing third-party tools or any resource kits. Table 9-1: Comparison of Scripting Methods Features INF REG Batch Script MSI Difficulty Medium Low Medium High Medium OS access Basic None Full Full Basic Built-in support Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Change values Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 193 Add keys/values Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Delete keys/values Yes Keys only Yes Yes Yes Querying values No No Yes Yes No Support for value types High Medium Medium Low Medium Bitwise support Yes No No Yes No Nine times out of ten, my preference is to write an INF file. You'll notice that most of the this book are INF files. I chose this method because I'm familiar with INF files, they're create, and they're easy to read. I use scripts only when I have to query values from the INF files' strong suit is that they offer the flexibility to do anything I want in the registry requiring me to put on a programmer hat for the weekend. Choose whatever methods best but give more weight to INF files and scripts. You won't end up using just one of these though. In fact, you'll find that you'll use a combination of these methods, depending scenario. After you start using the script methods I describe in this chapter, you'll master time. Now I'll describe the differences. As the table shows, using REG files is the easiest method, and Windows Installer package files are the most difficult, and the rest fall somewhere No matter which method you choose, they all become rather easy after you learn how to Access to the operating system is important only if you're trying to do more than just registry. For example, if you want to read values from the registry and then dump them to you're going to need access to the operating system. The most important difference is that files and scripts provide high support for the many different types of values you can registry. The remaining methods support the basic value types, though, and that's often need. If you need to edit more esoteric types, though, you're better off writing an INF file Likewise, INF files and scripts are the only two methods you can use to set and clear bits For example, the bits in the value UserPreferencesMask indicate different user interface and you enable or disable them by setting or clearing the corresponding bit. If this requirement, you're left with INF files or scripts as your method of choice. Installing INF Files Setup Information files have the .inf extension; I call them INF files. The Windows XP (Application Programming Interface) uses INF files to script installations. Most people associate files with device-driver installation, but applications often use them, too. Most actions associate with installing device drivers and applications are available through INF files. copy, remove, and rename files. You can add, change, and delete registry values. You and start services. You can install most anything using INF files. For example, you can customize registry settings—obviously. You can also create INF files that users can uninstall Add Or Remove Programs. INF files look similar to INI and REG files. They're text files that contain sections that [Section]. Each section contains items, sometimes called properties, that look like Name Windows XP happens to come with the perfect INF-file editor: Notepad. When you create INF file using Notepad, make sure that you enclose the file name in quotation marks or Files in the Save As Type list in the Save As dialog box. That way, your file will have extension instead of the .txt extension. Installing an INF file is straightforward: Right-click file, and then click Install. To deploy an INF file and prevent users from having to install use the following command, replacing Filename with the name of your INF file. ( command line that Windows XP associates with the .inf file extension in the registry.) 194 Listing 9-1 shows a simple INF file. The first section, [Version], is required. The name of the second section is arbitrary but usually [DefaultInstall] so that users can right-click the file to install it. The linkage to this section is through the command line you saw just before this paragraph. The command is rundll32.exe, which executes the API in Setupapi.dll called InstallHinfSection. The next item on the command line, DefaultInstall, is the name of the section to install. The 132 you see before the file name tells the setup API to prompt the user before rebooting the computer, if necessary. The last item on the command line is the name of the INF file to install. Like I mentioned, because this is the command that Windows XP associates with the .inf file extension, you should usually name this section [DefaultInstall]. Within this section you see two directives, AddReg and DelReg. The directive AddReg=Add.Settings adds the settings contained in the section [Add.Settings]. Listing 9-1: Example.inf [Version] Signature=$CHICAGO$ [DefaultInstall] AddReg=Add.Settings DelReg=Del.Settings [Add.Settings] HKCR,regfile\shell,,0,"edit" [Del.Settings] HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Regedit The directive DelReg=Del.Settings deletes the settings listed in the section [Del.Settings]. The names of these sections are arbitrary; you should adopt names that make sense to you and stick with them so you don't confuse yourself down the road. Now you've had my two-dollar tour of an INF file. The sections that follow describe how to write the different parts of an INF file. I'm focusing on using INF files to edit the registry, but you can do much morewiththem.TheultimateresourceforwritingINFfilesis http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/install/hh/install/inf-format_7soi.asp on Microsoft's Web site. This is the INF File Sections and Directives section of the Windows Driver Development Kit (DDK). Don't let the fact that this information is in the DDK scare you; it's really straightforward and useful for much more than installing device drivers. Starting with a Template I never start INF files from scratch. I can't be bothered to remember the format of the sections and directives, so I use a template. I'm lazy enough (or efficient enough) that I add the template you see in Listing 9-2 to the Templates folder in my user profile so that I can right-click in a folder, and then click New, Setup Information File. The easiest way is to first create the file Setup Information File.inf with the contents of Listing 9-2. Then use Tweak UI, which you learn about in Chapter 5, "Mapping Tweak UI," to add the template. It's a real timesaver. Listing 9-2: Setup Information File.inf [Version] Signature=$CHICAGO$ 195 AddReg=Reg.Uninstall CopyFiles=Inf.Copy [DefaultUninstall] BitReg=Bits.Clear DelReg=Reg.Settings DelReg=Reg.Uninstall DelFiles=Inf.Copy [Reg.Settings] ; ROOT,SUBKEY[,NAME[,FLAG[,DATA]]] ; ; FLAG: ; ; 0x00000 - REG_SZ ; 0x00001 - REG_BINARY ; 0x10000 - REG_MULTI_SZ ; 0x20000 - REG_EXPAND_SZ ; 0x10001 - REG_DWORD ; 0x20001 - REG_NONE [Bits.Set] ; ROOT,SUBKEY,NAME,FLAG,MASK,BYTE ; ; FLAG: ; ; 0x00000 - Clear bits in mask ; 0x00001 - Set bits in mask [Bits.Clear] ; ROOT,SUBKEY,NAME,FLAG,MASK,BYTE ; ; FLAG: ; ; 0x00000 - Clear bits in mask ; 0x00001 - Set bits in mask [Reg.Uninstall] HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\%NAME% HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\%NAME%,DisplayName\ ,,"%NAME%" HKCU,Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\%NAME%,UninstallString\ ,,"Rundll32.exe setupapi.dll,InstallHinfSection DefaultUninstall 132"\ " %53%\Application Data\Custom\FILENAME" ; ROOT: ; ; HKCU ; HKLM [Inf.Copy] FILENAME [DestinationDirs] Inf.Copy=53,Application Data\Custom 196 ; 11 - %SystemRoot%\System32 ; 17 - %SystemRoot%\Inf ; 53 - %UserProfile% ; 54 - %SystemDrive% ; -1 - Absolute path [SourceDisksNames] 55=%DISKNAME% [SourceDisksFiles] FILENAME=55 [Strings] NAME = "Jerry's NAME" DISKNAME = "Setup Files" The reason this template makes creating INF files so easy is because I've added comments to it. Comments begin with the semicolon (;) and add descriptive information to the file. In this case, for each section, I described the format of the different directives. In the [Reg.Settings] section, for example, you see the syntax for adding values to the registry. In the [Bits.Set] section, you see the format for setting individual bits in a number. I often write INF files that users can uninstall using Add Or Remove Programs; the template in Listing 9-2 shows you how to do that. If you don't want users to uninstall the file and its settings, remove the [DefaultUninstall], [Reg.Uninstall], [Inf.Copy],[DestinationDirs], [SourceDisksNames], and [SourceDisksFiles] sections and any linkages to those sections. In this template, all-capitalized words are placeholders that I replace when I create an INF file. For example, I replace FILENAME with the INF file's actual name. The first two lines in Listing 9-2 are the only ones required. The [Version] section and the Signature property identify the file as a valid INF file. You must include these two lines at the top of all your INF files. Incidentally, Chicago was Microsoft's code name for Microsoft Windows 95, and so version=$CHICAGO$ identifies the file as a Windows 95 INF file. These days, $CHICAGO$ indicates an INF file that's compatible with all versions of Windows. Use $Windows 95$ if you want to indicate that your INF file is compatible with 16-bit versions of Windows only. Use $Windows NT$ to indicate that your INF file is compatible with 32-bit versions of Windows only. Generally, I leave Signature set to $CHICAGO$. Linking Sections Together After the [Version] section is usually the [DefaultInstall] section. As I said earlier, the name of this section is arbitrary, but you should use [DefaultInstall] if you want users to be able to install your INF file by right-clicking it. The command associated with the .inf file extension references this section by name. This is the section that links together your INF file. You fill it with directives that tell the Setup API which sections in the INF file to process and what to do with them. You saw this section in Listing 9-2. Each line in this section is a directive. The Setup API supports a number of different directives, but the ones we care about in this book are AddReg, DelReg, and BitReg. In the listing, you see a line that says AddReg=Reg.Settings. This adds the settings listed in the [Reg.Settings] section. The line BitReg=Bits.Set sets the bit masks listed in the section [Bits.Set]. As well, you can list more than one section for each directive. You can duplicate a directive on multiple lines, for example, or you can assign multiple sections to it: AddReg= Section1,Section2,SectionN. For an example, see Listing 9-3. 197 [Version] Signature=$CHICAGO$ [DefaultInstall] AddReg=Reg.Settings1,Reg.Settings2,Reg.Settings3 AddReg=Reg.Settings4 AddReg=Reg.Settings5 DelReg=Reg.Settings6 [Reg.Settings1] ; Registry settings to add or change [Reg.Settings2] ; Registry settings to add or change [Reg.Settings3] ; Registry settings to add or change [Reg.Settings4] ; Registry settings to add or change [Reg.Settings5] ; Registry settings to add or change [Reg.Settings6] ; Registry keys and values to remove Note The order of the AddReg and DelReg directives doesn't matter. The Setup API processes all DelReg directives first, followed by the AddReg sections. Adding Keys and Values As you just saw, the AddReg directive in [DefaultInstall] indicates the names of sections that contain settings you want to add to the registry. These are [add-registry-section] sections. You can add new keys, set default values, create new values, or modify existing values using an [add-registry-section] section. And each section can contain multiple entries. Each [add-registry-section] name must be unique in the INF file. Syntax [add-registry-section] rootkey, [subkey], [value], [flags], [data] rootkey This is the root key containing the key or value you're modifying. Use the abbreviations HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, or HKU. subkey This is the subkey to create or the subkey in which to add or change a value. This is optional. If missing, all operations are on the root key. value This is the name of the value to create or modify if it exists. This value is optional. If value is omitted and the flags and data parameters are given, operations are on the key's default value. If value, flags, and data are omitted, you're adding a subkey. flags 0x00000000. Value is REG_SZ. This is the default if you omit flags. • 0x00000001. Value is REG_BINARY. • 198 0x00010000. Value is REG_MULTI_SZ. • 0x00020000. Value is REG_EXPAND_SZ. • 0x00010001. Value is REG_DWORD. • 0x00020001. Value is REG_NONE. • 0x00000002. Don't overwrite existing keys and values. Combine this flag with others by ORing them together. • 0x00000004. Delete subkey from the registry, or delete value from subkey. Combine this flag with others by ORing them together. • 0x00000008. Append data to value. This flag is valid only if value is REG_MULTI_SZ. The string data is not appended if it already exists. Combine this flag with 0x00010000 by ORing them together. • 0x00000010. Create subkey, but ignore value and data if specified. Combine this flag with others by ORing them together. • 0x00000020. Set value only if it already exists. Combine this flag with others by ORing them together. • 0x00001000. Make the specified change in the 64-bit registry. If not specified, the change is made to the native registry. Combine this flag with others by ORing them together. • 0x00004000. Make the specified change in the 32-bit registry. If not specified, the change is made to the native registry. Combine this flag with others by ORing them together. • data This is the data to write to value. If the value doesn't exist, the Setup API creates it; if the value exists, the API overwrites it; if the value is REG_MULTI_SZ and you set the 0x00010008 flag, the API adds the value to the existing string list. If you omit data, the Setup API creates the value without setting it. See the following example to learn how to format each type of value. Example [Version] Signature=$CHICAGO$ [DefaultInstall] AddReg=Reg.Settings [Reg.Settings] ; Sets the default value of HKCU\Software\Sample HKCU,Software\Sample,,,"Default" ; Creates a REG_SZ value called Sample HKCU,Software\Sample,String,0x00000,"String" ; Creates a REG_BINARY value called Binary HKCU,Software\Sample,Binary,0x00001,00,01,30,05 ; Creates a REG_MULTI_SZ value called Multisz HKCU,Software\Sample,Multisz,0x10000,"String list" ; Creates a REG_DWORD value called Dword HKCU,Software\Sample,Dword,0x10001,0x01010102 ; Creates a REG_SZ value called Hello HKLM,SOFTWARE\Sample,Hello,,"World" ; Creates a REG_DWORD value and sets it to 0x0000 HKLM,SOFTWARE\Sample,Nothing,0x10001 199 The [DefaultInstall] section's DelReg directive specifies sections containing registry keys and values to delete. These are [del-registry-section] sections. They are much simpler than the [add-registry-section] sections but have similar rules: Each section can contain multiple entries, and the name of each section must be unique. Syntax [del-registry-section] rootkey, [subkey], [value], [flags], [data] rootkey This is the root key containing the key or value you're deleting. Use the abbreviations HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, or HKU. subkey This is the subkey to delete or subkey from which to delete a value. This is optional. If missing, all operations are on the root key. value This is the name of the value to delete. This value is optional. If value is omitted, you're deleting subkey. flags 0x00002000. Delete the entire subkey. • 0x00004000. Make the specified change in the 32-bit registry. If not specified, the change is made to the native registry. Combine this flag with others by ORing them together. • 0x00018002. If value is REG_MULTI_SZ, remove all strings matching the string indicated by data. • data This is used only when flags is 0x00018002. This specifies the string to remove from a REG_MULTI_SZ value. Example [Version] Signature=$CHICAGO$ [DefaultInstall] DelReg=Reg.Settings [Reg.Settings] ; Removes the key HKCU\Software\Sample HKCU,Software\Sample ; Removes the value Hello from HKCU\Software\Sample HKCU,Software\Sample,Hello ; Removes the string "World" from the REG_MULTI_SZ value Hello HKCU,Software\Sample,Hello,0x00018002,"World" Setting and Clearing Bits The BitReg directive is similar to the AddReg directive. You add it to the [DefaultInstall] section to indicate the names of sections that contain bits you want to set and clear. These are [bit-registry-section] sections. Use the BitReg directive when you want to work with bit masks in the registry. For example, if you want to enable certain user-interface features in the value UserPreferencesMask, use this directive. Like the other directives you learned about, each section can contain multiple entries, and the name of each section must be unique. 200 mask and byte replace the value data. The parameter mask is 8 bits long and indicates which bit you want to enable or disable. The parameter byte indicates which byte in the binary value you want to modify. This indicates bytes left to right starting from 0. This is straightforward when working with REG_BINARY values but less so when working with REG_DWORD values. As discussed in Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics," Windows XP stores REG_DWORD values in the registry in reverse-byte order (little-endian architecture). To be sure, test your INF files carefully to make sure you're masking the bits you think you're masking. Figure 9-1 shows the relationship between value, mask, and byte. The value to which I'm applying the mask is a REG_DWORD value stored in the registry in reverse-byte notation: 0x0180C000. Set the mask in byte 0, and the result is 0x0180C080. Clear the mask in byte 1, and the result is 0x0140C080. Figure 9-1: The parameter byte indicates to which of a number's bytes you want to apply mask. Syntax [bit-registry-section] rootkey, [subkey], value, [flags], mask, byte rootkey This is the root key containing the value you're modifying. Use the abbreviations HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, or HKU. subkey This is the subkey in which to change a value. This is optional. If missing, all operations are on the root key. value This is the name of the value to modify. This value is not optional and should be a REG_DWORD or REG_BINARY value. flags 0x00000000. Clear the bits specified by mask. • 0x00000001. Set the bits specified by mask. • 0x00040000. Make the specified change in the 32-bit registry. If not specified, the change is made to the native registry. Combine this flag with others by ORing them together. • mask 201 This is the byte-sized mask specifying the bits to set or clear in the specified byte of value. Specify this value in hexadecimal notation. Bits that are 1 will be set or cleared, depending on flags, and bits that are 0 will be ignored. byte This specifies the byte in value to which you want to apply mask. The left-most byte is 0, the next is 1, and so on. Keep in mind that Windows XP stores REG_DWORD values in reverse-byte order when specifying which byte on which to apply mask. Thus, in REG_DWORD values, the right-most byte is stored first in memory. Example [Version] Signature=$CHICAGO$ [DefaultInstall] BitReg=Bit.Settings [Bit.Settings] ; Changes 50,00,10,00 to 31,00,10,00 HKCU,Software\Sample,Mask,0x0001,0x01,0 ; Changes 50,00,F0,00 to 30,00,70,00 HKU,Software\Sample,Mask,0x0000,0x80,2 Using Strings in INF Files You can make your INF files far easier to read if you use the [Strings] section. Each line in this section is a string in the format name ="string". Then you can use that string elsewhere in the INF file by referencing it as %name%. This makes INF files easier to read in numerous ways (see Listing 9-4, which is also a good example of using the BitReg directive): The [Strings] section collects strings at the bottom of your INF file so that you can see them in one place. • The [Strings] section enables you to type a string one time and then use that string in numerous places. The string is consistent throughout your INF file. • The [Strings] section makes translating INF files easier because localizable strings are at the bottom of the file. • Listing 9-4: Strings.inf [Version] Signature=$CHICAGO$ [DefaultInstall] BitReg=Bits.Set AddReg=Add.Settings DelReg=Del.Settings [Add.Settings] HKCU,%HK_DESKTOP%,ActiveWndTrkTimeout,0x10001,1000 HKLM,%HK_SETUP%,RegisteredOwner,,%OWNER% [Del.Settings] HKCU,%HK_EXPLORER%\MenuOrder HKCU,%HK_EXPLORER%\RunMRU HKCU,%HK_EXPLORER%\RecentDocs HKCU,%HK_EXPLORER%\ComDlg32\LastVisitedMRU HKCU,%HK_SEARCH%\ACMru HKCU,%HK_INTERNET%\TypedURLs 202 [Strings] HK_DESKTOP="Control Panel\Desktop" HK_EXPLORER="Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer" HK_SEARCH="Software\Microsoft\Search Assistant" HK_INTERNET="Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer" HK_SETUP="SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion" OWNER=" Fuzzy Wuzzy Was a Bear" NoteHere's the truth-in-advertising bit: I seldom use strings because I don't often localize INF files. I use strings only when doing so really does make the INF file easier to read. In particular, when a line becomes so long that it wraps, I use a string to shorten it. Alternatively, you can use the line-continuation character, a backslash (\), to split lines. I also use strings for values that change frequently, particularly in template INF files. Strings make using templates easier. Setting Values with REG Files You learned how to create REG files using Regedit in Chapter 2, "Using the Registry Editor." REG files are the classic method for adding and changing values in the registry, but as I said in the section "Choosing a Technique," they're not as powerful as the other methods you learn about in this chapter. Their big weakness is that you can't remove values using a REG file; you can only add or modify values, or remove keys. After you've created a REG file, which has the .reg file extension, you import it into the registry by double-clicking the file. This is great if you want users to import the file themselves, but you need the following command if you want to import a REG file using your software management infrastructure or some method such as providing a link to it on the intranet: regedit /s filename.reg. Replace filename .reg with the path and name of your REG file. The /s command-line option imports the file into the registry without prompting the user, which is what you want to do most of the time. To edit a REG file, right-click it, and then click Edit. Don't accidentally double-click a REG file thinking that you're going to open it in Notepad because double-clicking a REG file imports it into the registry. Remember that Regedit supports two different file formats for REG files. Version 4 REG files are ANSI. ANSI character encoding uses one byte to represent each character. Also, Regedit writes REG_EXPAND_SZ and REG_MULTI_SZ strings to REG files using ANSI character encoding, so each character is a single byte. Unicode character encoding uses two bytes for each character, and when you create a Unicode REG file, Regedit writes REG_EXPAND_SZ and REG_MULTI_SZ strings to the file using the two-byte Unicode encoding scheme. Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics," tells you more about the differences between the two encoding standards. Chapter 2, "Using Registry Editor," describes the differences between the two different types of REG files. What you need to know is that choosing to create a version 4 REG file means that the file and the values in the file use ANSI; likewise, creating a version 5 REG file means that the file and the values in the file use Unicode. I tend to use version 4, ANSI REG files, except when I know the registry data contains localized text that requires Unicode to represent it. If in doubt, always create version 5, Unicode files. Listing 9-5 shows a sample REG file. The first line in this file is the header, which identifies the file's version. The header Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 indicates a version 5, Unicode REG file. 203 and INI files. Each section contains the fully qualified name of a key. They use the full names of root keys, not the abbreviations. Listing 9-5 is importing settings into three keys: HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop, HKCU\Control Panel \Desktop\WindowMetrics, and HKCU\Control Panel\Mouse. The lines below each section are values that Regedit will add to that key when Regedit imports the file in to the registry. The format is "name"=value. The value named @ represents the key's default value. Some of the values in Listing 9-5 contain dword and hex, whereas others are enclosed in quotation marks. Values enclosed in quotation marks are strings. Values in the form dword:value are REG_DWORD values. Values in the form hex: values are REG_BINARY values. This gets more complicated when you add subtypes, such as hex(type): value, and I'll talk about those a bit later. Listing 9-5: Example.reg Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop] "ActiveWndTrkTimeout"=dword:00000000 "ForegroundFlashCount"=dword:00000003 "ForegroundLockTimeout"=dword:00030d40 "MenuShowDelay"="400" "PaintDesktopVersion"=dword:00000000 "UserPreferencesMask"=hex:9e,3e,07,80 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop\WindowMetrics] "Shell Icon BPP"="16" "Shell Icon Size"="32" "MinAnimate"="1" [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse] @=" Rodent" "ActiveWindowTracking"=dword:00000000 "DoubleClickHeight"="4" "DoubleClickSpeed"="500" "DoubleClickWidth"="4" "MouseSensitivity"="10" "MouseSpeed"="1" "MouseThreshold1"="6" "MouseThreshold2"="10" "SnapToDefaultButton"="0" "SwapMouseButtons"="0" Exporting Settings to REG Files The easiest way to create a REG file is by using Regedit to export keys to REG files. Follow these steps to export branches of the registry to files: Click the key at the top of the branch you want to export. 1. On the File menu, click Export. The Export Registry File dialog box appears, shown in Figure 9-2 on the next page. 2. 204 Figure 9-2: The only two types of files that create REG files are Registration Files and Win9x/NT4 Registration Files (*.reg). In the File Name box, enter a name for the file you're creating. 3. Select the option for the export range you want: To back up the entire registry, select the All option. → To back up the selected branch, select the Selected Branch option. → 4. In the Save As Type list, click the type of file you want to create: Registration Win9x/NT4 Registration (*.reg). 5. Click Save. 6. The REG file you create contains all the subkeys and values under the key you exported. likelihood that you want all the key's subkeys and values isn't very high, so you should open in Notepad by right-clicking it and clicking Edit; then remove any keys and values that want to keep in the file. You can also change any of the values in the REG file. For example, can export a key from your own computer, just to get you started, and then edit it requirements, removing keys, changing values, and so on. Caution If you're creating a REG file for versions of Windows that don't support version REG files, use version 4, ANSI REG files. Microsoft Windows 95, Windows Windows Me do not support Unicode REG files, and any attempt to import Unicode files into their registries could yield results that you don't like. Creating REG Files Manually Creating REG files by hand is an error-prone process that I don't recommend. Nonetheless, of you are likely to do it anyway, so I'm going to show you how. First decide whether you're create an ANSI or Unicode REG file, and then follow these instructions to create it: Create a new file in Notepad. 1. At the top of the file, add one of the following, followed by a blank line: Add REGEDIT4 at the top of the file to create a version 4 REG file. → 2. 205 For each key into which you want to import values, add a section to the file in the format [key], where key is the fully qualified name of the key. Don't use the root-key abbreviations; use their full names: HKEY_CURRENT_USER. 3. For each value that you want to import into the registry, add the value in the format "name"=value to the key's section. Use @ for a key's default value. See Table 9-2 for information about how to format the different types of values in a REG file. You can continue an entry from one line to the next using the line-continuation character, a backslash (\). Table 9-2: Value Formats in REG files Type Version 4 Version 5 REG_SZ "String" "String" REG_DWORD dword:00007734 dword:00007734 REG_BINARY hex:00,00,01,03 hex:00,00,01,03 REG_EXPAND_SZ hex(2):25,53,59,53,54,45,4d,52, 4f,4f,54,25,00 hex(2):25,00,53,00,59,00,53,00, 54,00,45,00,4d,00,52,00,4f,00, 4f,00,54,00,25,00,00,00 REG_MULTI_SZ hex(7):48,65,6c,6c,6f,20,57,6f, 72,6c,64,00,4a,65,72,72,79,20, 77,61,73,20,68,65,72,65,00,00 hex(7):48,00,65,00,6c,00,6c,00, 6f,00,20,00,57,00,6f,00,72,00, 6c,00,64,00,00,00,4a,00,65,00, 72,00,72,00,79,00,20,00,77,00, 61,00,73,00,20,00,68,00,65,00, 72,00,65,00,00,00,00,00 4. Click File, Save As, type the name of the file in File Name, including the extension .reg (enclose the file name in quotation marks so that Notepad doesn't use the .txt extension), do one of the following, and then click Save: In the Encoding list, choose ANSI to create a version 4 REG file. → In the Encoding list, choose Unicode to create a version 5 REG file. → 5. Encoding Special Characters Within REG files, certain characters have special meaning. Quotation marks begin and end strings. The backslash character is a line-continuation character. So how do you include these characters in your values? You use escaping, which is an ages-old method for prefixing special characters with a backslash. For example, the string \n represents a newline character and the string \" represents a quotation mark. Table 9-3 describes the special characters you can use and shows you examples. Table 9-3: Special Characters in REG Files Escape Expanded Example \\ \ C:\\Documents and Settings\\Jerry \" " A \"quoted\" string \n newline This is on \n two lines \r return This is on \r two lines 206 You can't use a REG file to remove individual values, but you can certainly use one to delete entire keys. This is an undocumented feature of REG files: Just prefix a key's name with a minus (-) sign: [-key]. Here's a brief example that removes the key HKCU\Software \Honeycutt when you import the REG file in to the registry: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Honeycutt] Rather than manually create a REG file to remove keys, I prefer to export a key to a REG file and then edit it. After exporting the key to a REG file, remove all the values and keys that you don't want to delete. Then add the minus sign to the names of the keys that you want to delete. Then you can remove those keys quickly and easily by double-clicking the REG file or using the command regedit /s filename .reg. Editing from the Command Prompt Windows XP comes with Console Registry Tool for Windows (Reg.exe). This tool is nothing short of marvelous. You use it to edit the registry from the MS-DOS command prompt. You can do with Reg.exe just about anything you can do with Regedit, and more. The best part of Reg.exe is that you can use it to write simple scripts in the form of batch files that change the registry. And unlike in earlier versions of Windows, you don't have to install Reg.exe. It's installed by default and combines the numerous registry tools that came with the resource kits for earlier versions of Windows. This tool is so cool I can just start with an example. Listing 9-6 is a simple batch file that installs Microsoft Office XP the first time the batch file runs (think logon script). After installing Office XP, the batch file calls Reg.exe to add the REG_DWORD value Flag to HKCU \Software\Example. The batch file checks for this value's presence each time the file runs and skips the installation if it exists. Thus, the batch file installs the application only one time. This is a method you can use to deploy software through users' logon scripts. Instead of checking for a value that you add, as Listing 9-6 does, you can check for a value that the application stores in the registry. For example, the secondlineinthebatchfilecouldjustaseasilybeenRegQUER Y HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0 >nul, which checks to see if Office XP is installed for the user. Listing 9-6: Login.bat @Echo Off Reg QUERY HKCU\Software\Example /v Flag >nul goto %ERRORLEVEL% :1 Echo Installing software the first time this runs \\Camelot\Office\Setup.exe /settings setup.ini Reg ADD HKCU\Software\Example /v Flag /t REG_DWORD /d "1" goto CONTINUE :0 207 Set Set REM Reg Reg Reg Reg Reg Reg HKMS=HKCU\Software\Microsoft HKCV=HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion Clear the history lists DELETE %HKCV%\Explorer\MenuOrder /f DELETE %HKCV%\Explorer\RunMRU /f DELETE %HKCV%\Explorer\RecentDocs /f DELETE %HKCV%\Explorer\ComDlg32\LastVisitedMRU /f DELETE "%HKMS%\Search Assistant\ACMru" /f DELETE "%HKMS%\Internet Explorer\TypedURLs" /f The syntax of the Reg.exe command line is straightforward: reg command options. Command is one of the many commands that Reg.exe supports, including ADD, QUERY, and DELETE. Options is the options that the command requires. Options usually include the name of a key, and sometimes a value's name and data. If any key or value name contains spaces, you must enclose the name in quotation marks. It gets more complicated for each of the different commands you can use with it, however, and I cover each of those in the sections following this one. If you're without this book and need a quick refresh, just type reg /? at the MS-DOS command prompt to see a list of commands that Regexe supports. Adding Keys and Values Use the ADD command to add keys and values to the registry. Syntax REG ADD [\\ computer \]key [/v value | /ve] [/t type] [/s separator] [/d data] [/f] \\ computer If omitted, Reg.exe connects to the local computer; otherwise, Reg.exe connects to the remote computer. key This is the key's path, beginning with the root key. Use the root-key abbreviations HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, and HKU. Only HKLM and HKU are available when connecting to remote computers. /v value This will add or change value. /ve This will change the key's default value. /t type This is the value's type: REG_BINARY, REG_DWORD, REG_DWORD_LITTLE_ENDIAN, REG_DWORD_BIG_ENDIAN, REG_EXPAND_SZ, REG_MULTI_SZ, or REG_SZ. The default is REG_SZ. /s separator This specifies the character used to separate strings when creating REG_MULTI_SZ values. the default is \0, or null. /d data This is the data to assign to new or existing values. /f This forces Reg.exe to overwrite existing values with prompting. 208 REG REG REG REG ADD ADD ADD ADD \\JERRY1\HKLM\Software\Honeycutt HKLM\Software\Honeycutt /v Data /t REG_BINARY /d CCFEF0BC HKLM\Software\Honeycutt /v List /t REG_MULTI_SZ /d Hello\0World HKLM\Software\Honeycutt /v Path /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d %%SYSTEMROOT%% Note The percent sign (%) has a special purpose on the MS-DOS command prompt and within batch files. You enclose environment variables in percent signs to expand them in place. Thus, to use them on the Reg.exe command line, and elsewhere for that matter, you must use double percent signs (%%). In the previous example, if you had used single percent signs, the command prompt would have expanded the environment variable before running the command. Using double percent signs prevents the command prompt from expanding the environment variable. Querying Values The QUERY command works three ways. First it can display the data in a specific value. Second it can display all of a key's values. Third it can list all the subkeys and values in a key by adding the /s command-line option. How it works depends on the options you use. Syntax REG QUERY [\\computer\]key [/v value | /ve] [/s] \\ computer If omitted, Reg.exe connects to the local computer; otherwise, Reg.exe connects to the remote computer. key This is the key's path, beginning with the root key. Use the root-key abbreviations HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, and HKU. Only HKLM and HKU are available when connecting to remote computers. /v value This will query value in key. If you omit /v, Reg.exe queries all values in the key. /ve This will query the key's default value. /s This will query all the key's subkeys and values. Example REG QUERY HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion /s REG QUERY HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion /v CurrentVersion Note Reg.exe sets ERRORLEVEL to 0 if the command succeeds and 1 if it doesn't. Thus, you can test ERRORLEVEL in a batch file to determine if a value exists or not. You saw an example of this in Listing 9-6. Although you can use the If statement to test ERRORLEVEL, I prefer creating labels in my batch file, one for each level, as shown in Listing 9-6 earlier in this chapter. Then I can just write statements that look like Goto %ERRORLEVEL% or Goto QUERY%ERRORLEVEL%, which branches to the label QUERY1 if ERRORLEVEL is 1. Deleting Keys and Values Use the DELETE command to remove keys and values from the registry. 209 REG DELETE [\\ computer \]key [/v value | /ve | /va] [/f] \\ computer If omitted, Reg.exe connects to the local computer; otherwise, Reg.exe connects to the remote computer. key This is the key's path, beginning with the root key. Use the root-key abbreviations HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, and HKU. Only HKLM and HKU are available when connecting to remote computers. /v value This will delete value from key. /ve This will delete the key's default value. /va This will delete all values from key. /f This will force Reg.exe to delete values with prompting. Example REG DELETE \\JERRY1\HKLM\Software\Honeycutt REG DELETE HKLM\Software\Honeycutt /v Data /f REG DELETE HKLM\Software\Honeycutt /va Comparing Keys and Values Use the COMPARE command to compare two registry keys. Those keys can be on the same computer or different computers, making this a useful troubleshooting tool. The /on command-line option seems odd at first. Why would you compare keys or values and not show the differences? Reg.exe sets ERRORLEVEL depending on the comparison's result, and you can use that in your batch files to execute different code depending on whether the two are the same or different—without displaying any results. Here's the meaning of ERRORLEVEL: 0. The command was successful and the keys or values are identical. • 1. The command failed. • 2. The command was successful and the keys or values are different. • REG COMPARE [\\ computer1 \]key1 [\\computer2 \]key2 [/v value | /ve] [/oa|/od|/os|/on] [/s] \\ computer1 If omitted, Reg.exe connects to the local computer; otherwise, Reg.exe connects to the remote computer. \\ computer2 If omitted, Reg.exe connects to the local computer; otherwise, Reg.exe connects to the remote computer. key1 This is the key's path, beginning with the root key. Use the root-key abbreviations HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, and HKU. Only HKLM and HKU are available when connecting to remote computers. key2 This is the key's path, beginning with the root key. Use the root-key abbreviations HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, and HKU. Only HKLM and HKU are available when connecting to remote computers. /v value This compares value. /ve This compares the key's default value. /oa This shows all differences and matches. /od This shows only differences. 210 /os This shows only matches. /on This shows nothing. /s This compares all the key's subkeys and values. Example REG COMPARE HKCR\txtfile HKR\docfile /ve REG COMPARE \\JERRY1\HKCR \\JERRY2\HKCR /od /s REG COMPARE HKCU\Software \\JERRY2\HKCU\Software /s Copying Keys and Values The COPY command copies a subkey to another key. This command is useful to back up subkeys, as you learned in Chapter 3, "Backing Up the Registry." REG COPY [\\ computer1 \]key1 [\\computer2 \]key2 [/s] [/f] \\ computer1 If omitted, Reg.exe connects to the local computer; otherwise, Reg.exe connects to the remote computer. \\ computer2 If omitted, Reg.exe connects to the local computer; otherwise, Reg.exe connects to the remote computer. key1 This is the key's path, beginning with the root key. Use the root-key abbreviations HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, and HKU. Only HKLM and HKU are available when connecting to remote computers. key2 The key's path, beginning with the root key. Use the root-key abbreviations HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, and HKU. Only HKLM and HKU are available when connecting to remote computers. /s This copies all the key's subkeys and values. /f This forces Reg.exe to copy with prompting. Example REG COPY HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office HKCU\Backup\Office /s REG COPY HKCR\regfile HKCU\Backup\regfile /s /f Exporting Keys to REG Files Use the EXPORT command to export all or part of the registry to REG files. This command has a few limitations, though. First it works only with the local computer. You can't create a REG file from a remote computer's registry. Second it creates only version 5, Unicode REG files. There's no option available to create ANSI REG files. The EXPORT command is the same as clicking File, Export in Regedit. REG EXPORT key filename key This is the key's path, beginning with the root key. Use the root-key abbreviations HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, and HKU. This is the key you want to export to a REG file. filename This is the path and name of the REG file to create. Example REG EXPORT "HKCU\Control Panel" Preferences.reg 211 Use the IMPORT command to import a REG file in to the registry. This command does the same thing as running regedit /s filename. It imports a REG file silently. This command can handle both version 4 and version 5 REG files, but it works only on the local computer. REG IMPORT filename filename This is the path and name of the REG file to import. Example REG IMPORT Settings.reg Saving Keys to Hive Files The SAVE command saves a key as a hive file. This command is similar to clicking File, Export in Regedit, and then changing the file type to Registry Hive Files (*.*). It's a convenient method for backing up the registry before making substantial changes. Chapter 3, "Backing Up the Registry," describes this technique. This command works only on the local computer. REG SAVE key filename key This is the key's path, beginning with the root key. Use the root-key abbreviations HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, and HKU. This is the key you want to save as a hive file. filename This is the path and name of the hive file to create. Example REG SAVE HKU Backup.dat Restoring Hive Files to Keys The RESTORE command overwrites a key and all of its contents with the contents of a hive file. This is similar to importing a hive file in Regedit. The difference between this command and loading a hive file is that this command overwrites any existing key, whereas loading a hive file creates a new temporary key to contain the hive file's contents. Use this command to restore a backup hive file. This command works only on the local computer. REG RESTORE key filename key This is the key's path, beginning with the root key. Use the root-key abbreviations HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, and HKU. This is the key you want to overwrite with the contents of the hive file. filename This is the path and name of the hive file to restore. Example REG RESTORE HKCU Backup.dat Loading Hive Files The LOAD command loads a hive file into a temporary key. You reference the hive file's keys and values through the temporary key you specify on the command line. This command is similar to 212 REG LOAD key filename key This is the key's path, beginning with the root key. Use the root-key abbreviations HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, and HKU. This is the new temporary key into which you want to load the hive file. filename This is the path and name of the hive file to load. Example REG LOAD HKU\Temporary Settings.dat Unloading Hive Files The UNLOAD command removes a hive file that you've loaded using the LOADcommand. It simply unhooks the hive file from the registry. You must remember to unload a hive file that you've loaded before trying to copy or do anything else with the hive file because Windows XP locks the file while it's in use. REG UNLOAD key key This is the key's path, beginning with the root key. Use the root-key abbreviations HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, and HKU. This is the name of the key containing the hive file you want to unload. Example REG UNLOAD HKU\Temporary Scripting Using Windows Script Host Scripts give IT professionals the ultimate ability to control and automate Windows XP. These aren't batch files; they're full-fledged administrative programs that are surprisingly easy to create considering the wealth of power they enable. You can write a script that inventories a computer and writes the result to a file on the network, for example. You can automate an application to perform redundant steps automatically. The sky is the limit, really, but I'm here to tell you how to use scripts to edit the registry, so I'm confining myself a bit. The scripting technology in Windows XP is Windows Script Host. The current version is 5.6 and is technologically leaps and bounds over what Microsoft Windows 2000 provided. Windows Script Host is called a host because it's not aware of a script's language. Microsoft calls this language agnostic. Windows Script Host uses different scripting engines to parse the different languages in which you might write a script. Windows XP provides two scripting engines: VBScript and JScript. If you've ever used the C or C++ languages, you'll be more comfortable writing scripts using JScript. If you've ever used Visual Basic in any of its incarnations, you're going to be more comfortable using VBScript to write scripts. The problem with focusing this chapter on how to use scripts to edit the registry is that doing so assumes that you're already familiar with Windows Script Host. If that's not true, I suggest that you findagoodbookaboutscripts.Ifyoudon'twantabookaboutit,s ee http://www.microsoft.com/scripting. This is Microsoft's Scripting Web site, and it contains everything you need to know about writing scripts for Windows XP, including accessing Windows Management 213 to use it—the hardest part of writing scripts for Windows XP. Creating Script Files Script files can have two file extensions, and the script's file extension indicates which language the file contains. Use the .js extension for files that contain JScript. Use the .vbs extension for files that contain VBScript. Regardless, script files are nothing more than text files that contain the language's keywords, so you can use your favorite text editor, Notepad, to create them. When you save a script file, make sure you enclose the file's name in quotation marks or choose All Files from the Save As Type list so Notepad doesn't add the .txt extension to the file. Without going into detail about the object model, you access the registry through the Shell object. This object contains the methods you call to add, remove, and update values in the registry. You'll add one of the following statements to every script in which you want to access the registry. The first line shows you how to create the Shell object using VBScript, and the second shows you how to do it using JScript. Just to show you how easy it is to create a script, open Notepad, and type Listing 9-7. The JScript language is case sensitive, so type Listing 9-7 carefully. VBScript has the benefit of not being case sensitive. Save the file using the .js extension, and then doubleclick the file to run it. You'll see a message from me. Because double-clicking the script file runs it, you must right-click the file and then click Edit to edit the file. Listing 9-7: Example.js var WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell"); WshShell.Popup("Hello from Jerry Honeycutt" ); set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell") var WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell"); Why write scripts when INF files are easier? I usually write INF files to edit the registry. If I'm not using INF files, I write batch files and use Reg.exe. I like the simplicity of these methods. There are times when writing a script is the only suitable method, however. Writing a script is necessary in a number of cases. The first is when you must have a user interface. If you want to display settings to or collect settings from users, scripting is the best choice. Also, scripting is the only method that provides rather full access to Windows XP. For example, you can use a script to inventory the computer and dump the information to a text file on the network. You can use a script to configure users' computers using logic, if-this-then-that, which isn't possible with the other methods. So if you're doing anything more complicated than just adding, changing, or removing values, you're going to end up writing scripts. I've seen some fairly complicated scripts. For example, one fellow I worked with wrote a script that searched the registry for services that Sysprep disabled, and then permanently removed them from the registry. This is a great example of scripting. Combined with WMI, scripting is nothing short of amazing. The script on the next page shows you how to use VBScript and WMI to inventory a computer's configuration. It displays the amount of physical memory installed on the computer, the name of the computer, the BIOS version, the type of 214 http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter. strComputer = "." Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _ & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2") Set colSettings = objWMIService.ExecQuery _ ("Select * from Win32_OperatingSystem") For Each objOperatingSystem in colSettings Wscript.Echo "OS Name: " & objOperatingSystem.Name Wscript.Echo "Version: " & objOperatingSystem.Version Wscript.Echo "Service Pack: " & _ objOperatingSystem.ServicePackMajorVersion _ & "." & objOperatingSystem.ServicePackMinorVersion Wscript.Echo "OS Manufacturer: " & objOperatingSystem.Manufacturer Wscript.Echo "Windows Directory: " & _ objOperatingSystem.WindowsDirectory Wscript.Echo "Locale: " & objOperatingSystem.Locale Wscript.Echo "Available Physical Memory: " & _ objOperatingSystem.FreePhysicalMemory Wscript.Echo "Total Virtual Memory: " & _ objOperatingSystem.TotalVirtualMemorySize Wscript.Echo "Available Virtual Memory: " & _ objOperatingSystem.FreeVirtualMemory Wscript.Echo "OS Name: " & objOperatingSystem.SizeStoredInPagingFiles Next Set colSettings = objWMIService.ExecQuery _ ("Select * from Win32_ComputerSystem") For Each objComputer in colSettings Wscript.Echo "System Name: " & objComputer.Name Wscript.Echo "System Manufacturer: " & objComputer.Manufacturer Wscript.Echo "System Model: " & objComputer.Model Wscript.Echo "Time Zone: " & objComputer.CurrentTimeZone Wscript.Echo "Total Physical Memory: " & _ objComputer.TotalPhysicalMemory Next Set colSettings = objWMIService.ExecQuery _ ("Select * from Win32_Processor") For Each objProcessor in colSettings Wscript.Echo "System Type: " & objProcessor.Architecture Wscript.Echo "Processor: " & objProcessor.Description Next Set colSettings = objWMIService.ExecQuery _ ("Select * from Win32_BIOS") For Each objBIOS in colSettings Wscript.Echo "BIOS Version: " & objBIOS.Version Next Running Script Files Windows XP provides two scripting hosts. The Windows-based version runs scripts when you double-click a script file. The script engine is Wscript.exe. You can also use the commandline version, which is handy when the script outputs data similar to how most command-line programs do. The example given in the sidebar "Why write scripts when INF files are easier?" in Listing 9-7 is one script that's better from the command-line. The command-line scripting engine is Cscript.exe: cscript script [//B|//I] [//D] [//E: engine] [//H:cscript|//H:wscript] [// 215 //B This specifies batch mode, which does not display alerts, scripting errors, or input prompts. //I This specifies interactive mode, which displays alerts, scripting errors, and input prompts. This is the default and the opposite of //B. //D This turns on the debugger. //E: engine Specifies the scripting language that is used to run the script. //H:cscript | //H:wscript This registers either Cscript.exe or Wscript.exe as the default script host for running scripts. If neither is specified, the default is Wscript.exe. //Job: name This runs the job identified by name in a .wsf script file. //Logo This specifies that the Windows Script Host banner is displayed in the console window before the script runs. This is the default and the opposite of //Nologo. //Nologo This specifies that the Windows Script Host banner is not displayed before the script runs. //S This saves the current command-line options for the current user. //T: time This specifies the maximum time the script can run (in seconds). You can specify up to 32,767 seconds. The default is no time limit. //X This starts the script in the debugger. //? This displays available command parameters and provides help for using them. (This is the same as typing Cscript.exe with no parameters and no script.) You can specify some of the same options when using the Windows-based scripting host. Right-click the script file, and then click Properties. You'll see the dialog box shown in Figure 9-3 on the next page. You can set the amount of time that the script is allowed to run and whether or not the host displays a log. The result is a file with the .wsh extension that contains these settings. It looks like your average INI file. You then execute the script by double-clicking the WSH file. 216 Figure 9-3: You create a WSH file, which contains a script file's settings, by right-clicking clicking Properties, and then clicking the Script tab. Formatting Key and Value Names Before I show you how to edit the registry with a script, there's one more detail: how to names of keys and values in a script. Unlike other scripting methods I've described in this the Windows Script Host object model doesn't have separate parameters for the key name. Thus, you distinguish key names and value names by how you format them. simple: If a string ends with a backslash, it's a key name; if a string doesn't end with a backslash, a value name. Also, the JScript language reserves the backslash character (\) as character: \n is a newline character and \t is a tab, for example. That means that you must the backslashes in your keys. Thus, any time you have a backslash in a key, you must backslashes (\\). To keep these clear, see Table 9-4. Table 9-4: Key and Value Formatting 217 Object VBScript JScript Value "HKLM\Subkey\Value" "HKLM\\Subkey\\Value" Key "HKLM\Subkey\" "HKLM\\Subkey\\" Adding and Updating Values The Shell object's RegWrite method adds keys and values or changes existing values. If you want to change a key's default value, set strName to the name of the key, including the trailing backslash, and then assign a value to it. TipOne of the RegWrite method's biggest weaknesses is that it writes only four bytes of REG_BINARY values. It can't handle larger binary values. If you want to change longer binary values or change types of values that this method doesn't support, use the Shell object's Run method to import a REG file. For example, you can put your settings in a REG file called Settings.reg. Then import that REG file using the statement WshShell.Run("Settings.reg"). object.RegWrite( strName, anyValue [,strType] ) object This is the Shell object. strName This is the string indicating the name of the key or value. You can add keys. You can add or change values. strName must be a fully-qualified path to a key or value and begin with one of the root keys: HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, or HKU. anyValue This is the data to assign to new or existing values. Use the format appropriate for the value's type. strType This is the type of value to create: REG_SZ, REG_EXPAND_SZ, REG_DWORD, or REG_BINARY. The RegWrite method doesn't support the REG_MULTI_SZ value type. Also, this method writes only four byte REG_BINARY values. Example (VBScript) Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell") WshShell.RegWrite "HKCU\Software\Sample\", 1, "REG_BINARY" WshShell.RegWrite "HKCU\Software\Sample\Howdy", "World!", "REG_SZ" Example (JScript) var WshShell = WScript.CreateObject( "WScript.Shell" ); WshShell.RegWrite("HKCU\\Software\\Sample\\", 1, "REG_BINARY"); WshShell.RegWrite("HKCU\\Software\\Sample\\Howdy", "World!", "REG_SZ"); Removing Keys and Values The Shell object's RegDelete method removes keys and values from the registry. Be careful, however, because removing an entire branch is easy; there's no confirmation. To remove a key, end strName with a backslash; otherwise, you're removing a value. object.RegDelete( strName ) object This is the shell object. strName This is the string indicating the name of the key or value to delete. strName must be a fully qualified path to a key or value and begin with one of the root keys: HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, 218 or HKU. Example (VBScript) Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject( "WScript.Shell" ) WshShell.RegDelete "HKCU\Software\Honeycutt\Howdy" WshShell.RegDelete "HKCU\Software\Honeycutt\" Example (JScript) var WshShell = WScript.CreateObject( "WScript.Shell" ); WshShell.RegDelete ( "HKCU\\Software\\Honeycutt\\Howdy" ); WshShell.RegDelete ( "HKCU\\Software\\Honeycutt\\" ); Querying Registry Values The Shell object's RegRead method returns a value's data. To read a key's default value, end strName with a backslash; otherwise, you're reading a value. object.RegRead( strName ) object This is the shell object. strName This is the string indicating the name of the value to read. strName must be a fully qualified path to a key or value and begin with one of the root keys: HKCR, HKCU, HKLM, or HKU. Example (VBScript) Dim WshShell, dwFlag, strValue Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject( "WScript.Shell" ) dwFlag = WshShell.RegRead( "HKCU\Software\Honeycutt\" ) strValue = WshShell.RegRead( "HKCU\Software\Honeycutt\Howdy" ) Example (JScript) var WshShell = WScript.CreateObject( "WScript.Shell" ); var dwFlag = WshShell.RegRead( "HKCU\\Software\\Honeycutt\\" ); var strValue = WshShell.RegRead( "HKCU\\Software\\Honeycutt\\Howdy" ); Creating Windows Installer Packages The last method of deploying registry settings I discuss in this chapter is creating Windows Installer package files. You've undoubtedly encountered package files by now. Microsoft Office 2000 and Office XP both ship as package files, which are databases of files and settings that Windows Installer installs on the computer. Creating a package file for a large application is an intense process, but creating package files that contain registry settings is straightforward. To create a package file, you need an editor. One of the most popular package editors is VERITAS WinINSTALL, and you can learn more about this enterprise-class tool at www.veritas.com. If you don't want to fork over the cash necessary to purchase a full version of WinINSTALL, you can get a free version if you still have your Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional CD lying around. Look in the 219 creating package files to deploy registry settings. Install the program by doubleSwiadmle.msi. This installs WinINSTALL on the Start menu: Click Start, All Programs, Software, VERITAS Software Console to run it. Package files contain features, and features contain components. To deploy registry settings package file, you must create all of the above. Follow these steps to create a new package add registry settings to it: In the left pane of Veritas Software Console, right-click Windows Installer Package and then click New. In the Filename box, type the path and name of the package click OK. 1. In the left pane, right-click the package file you created, and then click Add Feature. Name box in the right pane, type a new name for the feature. This is likely to be the only feature that you add to the package file, because all you're is deploying registry settings. You can create multiple features, though, and each can contain different registry settings. That way, users can install or not install features. 2. In the left pane, right-click the feature you created in step 2, and then click Add Component. The package editor automatically gives the component a GUID. Components contain all the files and settings required to implement a program unit, so applications have multiple components. When using a package file to deploy settings, creating components doesn't make a lot of sense. 3. In the left pane, select the component you added, and click Registry. 4. In the right pane, right-click the root key that you want to edit, and click New Key. creating subkeys by right-clicking a key and clicking New Key until you've created path of the key that you want to edit. 5. In the right pane, click the key in which you want to add or change a value, and New Value. In the Value Name box, type the name of the value. In the Data Type the value's type; click OK. In the Type Editor dialog box, type the value's data, and OK. 6. Click File, Save to save your package file. 7. After you've created a package file, you can deploy it just like any other package file. For users can simply double-click the package file to install it. If the package file contains settings users don't have permission to change, you can deploy it through Active Directory Policy, which installs package files with elevated privileges. You can also execute the command installs a package file, which is msiexec.exe" /i filename.msi. 220 Overview Microsoft Windows XP stores user settings separate from computer settings. The settings affect every user who logs on to Windows XP. Computer settings include configuration, network configuration, and so on. Typically, only the administrators group computer settings, but some settings are within reach of the Power Users group. On the a user profile contains settings for a specific user. Users customize the operating system liking, and their settings don't affect other users. Users have full control of their own profiles, contain more than just settings. They also contain files and folders specific to each user. Deploying and managing user profiles are two of the most significant issues facing IT professionals. Properly deploying and managing user profiles can save companies money. That's because the behaviors that users experience in Windows XP have settings in user profiles, professionals can deploy user profiles that contain defaults for these settings, starting the right foot. For example, they can populate the Favorites folder with links to the intranet don't have to find those links for themselves. They can add printer connections to a default profile so users can print right away without having to figure out how to add a printer. most of the useful policies that manage operating system and application settings profiles. IT professionals manage the settings in user profiles by applying policies to them. Mastering user profiles isn't just for IT professionals; power users, particularly those multiple accounts on their computers or who work on a home network, can create user simplify their experience. They can customize a default user profile. Then whenever they Windows XP or create a new account, they start with familiar settings and don't have hour customizing the operating system to suit their tastes. User profiles aren't so complicated power users shouldn't use them to their full advantage. I've written this chapter primarily for the IT professional; power users need master only portions First you learn about the contents of a user profile. Then you learn how to use roaming user on a business network. The most compelling part of this chapter shows you how to build default user profiles. In that part, I show you two techniques for building default user profiles. first is traditional but rather dirty. I prefer the second method, which is a more surgical method of building default user profiles. I wrap up this chapter with a discussion of the Migration Tool, which can help overcome the difficulties involved with migrating users' settings earlier versions of Windows. Exploring User Profiles Windows XP loads users' profiles when they log on to the computer and unloads their profiles they log off. A user profile contains a registry hive with per-user settings and folders, which documents and data files. The following section, "Profile Hives," describes the registry hive operating system loads. The section "Profile Folders" describes the folders in a user profile. Before delving into the contents of user profiles, knowing their location on the file system The default location is different than it was in Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 or other operating of that era. Remember that Windows NT 4.0 stored user profiles in %SYSTEMROOT%\ this location made it difficult to secure the operating system files while allowing access data. Microsoft Windows 2000 and Windows XP store user profiles in a different location, 221 is the case only with a clean installation of Windows XP, however. If you upgrade from a version of Windows earlier than Windows 2000, the profiles remain they were in the previous operating system. For example, if you upgrade from Windows Windows XP, the profiles remain in %SYSTEMROOT%\Profiles. The location of user profiles upgrading from Windows 2000 to Windows XP depends on whether you installed Windows cleanly or upgraded from an earlier version of Windows. In other words, the setup program moves user profiles during an upgrade. Table 10-1 summarizes where you'll find profile scenario by scenario. Table 10-1: Location of User Profiles Scenario Location Clean installation %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Documents and Settings Upgrade from Windows 2000 %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Documents and Settings Upgrade from Windows NT 4.0 %SYSTEMROOT%\Profiles Upgrade from Windows 98 %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Documents and Settings Windows XP creates and stores a list of user profiles. Table 10-1 shows the locations profiles depending on the scenario. The key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows \CurrentVersion\ProfileList corresponds to the list you see in the User Profiles dialog box. the User Profiles dialog box, click Start, Control Panel, Performance And Maintenance, and In the System Properties dialog box, on the Advanced tab, click Settings in the User Profiles Each subkey is a user profile, and the subkey's name is the SID of the account that owns Each profile in ProfileList contains the REG_SZ value ProfileImagePath that points to a folder in %SYSTEMROOT% \Documents and Settings. Figure 10-1 illustrates the relationship between the ProfileList key and the user profile folders. This relationship is the reason you just remove a user profile from the file system. Instead, use the User Profiles dialog box user profiles, which cleans the user profile out of the ProfileList key as well as off the file 222 Figure 10-1: The subkeys of ProfileList contain a wealth of information about the user profiles that Windows XP has created, including their paths on the file system. NoteIn enterprises that use Windows NT 4.0, IT professionals sometimes move profiles to %SYSTEMROOT%\Profiles when deploying Windows XP because managing the profiles is often easier if they are in the same location regardless of the platform. Windows XP answer files offer a setting that enables you to do that. The setting is ProfilesDir, and it's in the [GuiUnattended] section. Set ProfilesDir to the path of the folder in which you want to store profiles. You should begin the path with either %SYSTEMROOT% or %SYSTEMDRIVE%; otherwise, the setup program ignores it. Advantages of User Profiles The primary goal of user profiles is to keep each user's settings and data distinct from that of other users as well as from the computer's settings. This has several advantages for enterprise environments and makes Windows XP more convenient to use at home, too. User profiles enable statelesscomputing. A company can configure Windows XP to store key user settings and data separately from the computer. This makes backing up and replacing computers much easier because users' data is tucked safely away on the network and maintained separately from the computer's configuration. The first time users log on to a replacement computer, the operating system copies their settings from the network. They get back to work more quickly. User profiles also allow users' settings to follow them from computer to computer. They don't have to reconfigure settings at each computer. When they log on to a network that supports roaming user profiles, the operating system downloads their settings from the network. When they log off of the computer, the operating system copies users' settings back to the network. Roaming user profiles makes sharing computers more feasible because each user has his or her personalized configuration. Roaming user profiles are a must-have in environments such as call centers, where users aren't guaranteed to sit down at the same computer twice. You learn about roaming user profiles in the section "Using Roaming User Profiles," later in this chapter. 223 Profile Hives The first half of a user profile is the profile hive: Ntuser.dat. You learn about the second half in "Profile Folders." This file is in the root of users' profile folders. Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics," and Chapter 2, "Using the Registry Editor," describe hive files and how to work with them. Users' operating system and application settings are stored in profile hives. For example, you find all the per-user settings for Windows Explorer and persistent network connections in profile hives. Profile hives also contain per-user taskbar, printer, and Control Panel settings. Accessories that come with Windows XP store per-user settings in the profile hive. When Windows XP loads a user profile, the operating system loads the hive file Ntuser.dat into the subkey HKU\SID, where SID is the user's SID. (See Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics," for more information about SIDs.) Then Windows XP links the root key HKCU to HKU\SID. Figure 10-2 shows this relationship. Windows XP and most applications reference users' settings through HKCU, not HKU\SID, because HKCU resolves which subkey of HKU contains the console user's settings. HKU contains a second hive file, HKU\SID_Classes, which contains per-user file associations and class registrations. You learn about this in Appendix A, "File Associations." Figure 10-2: Windows XP loads Ntuser.dat into HKU\ SID and then links HKCU to it. The list of profile hives is in the key ProfileList, which you learned about in the previous section. It contains one subkey for each user profile. The subkey's name is the name of the hive in HKU or the account's SID. The REG_SZ value ProfileImagePath is the path of the profile hive file Ntuser.dat for that user profile. ProfileList does not contain a value for the SID_Classes hives, however. HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\hivelist contains one REG_SZ value for each hive in HKLM and HKU that the operating system is currently using. The difference between the values ProfileList and hivelist is that ProfileList contains a list of all user profiles that Windows XP knows about, loaded or not, and hivelist contains a list of all currently loaded hive files. Tip You can load and edit profile hives in Registry Editor (Regedit) without logging on to the computer using the account that owns that user profile. This is one of the techniques you use later in this chapter to build default user profiles. Profile Folders The folders in a user profile contain per-user application files. For example, Office XP installs templates and custom dictionaries in the user profile. Internet Explorer stores its cookies and 224 the hidden files in Windows Explorer if you want to see all the following folders for yourself: Application Data. This folder contains application files, such as mail files, templates, and so on. Each application's vendor chooses what files to store here. redirect this folder to a network location using Group Policy. • Cookies. This folder contains Internet Explorer cookies. • Desktop. This folder contains files, folders, and shortcuts on the desktop. Users contents of this folder on the Windows XP desktop. You can redirect this folder to location using Group Policy. • Favorites. This folder contains Internet Explorer favorite shortcuts. Users see the of this folder on Internet Explorer's Favorites menu. Group Policy doesn't support this folder, but you can redirect it manually as shown in Chapter 15, "Working Problems." • Local Settings. This folder contains application files that do not roam with the files you find in this folder are either per-computer or too large to copy to the network. folder contains four interesting subfolders: Application Data. This subfolder contains computer-specific application → History. This subfolder contains Internet Explorer history. → Temp. This subfolder contains per-user temporary files. → Temporary Internet Files. This subfolder contains Internet Explorer offline → • My Documents. This folder contains the default location for users' documents. should save users' documents to this folder by default, and this is the location to common dialog boxes open by default. This folder also contains the My Pictures which is the default location for users' pictures, and optionally the My Music folder, the default location for users' music files. You can redirect this folder to a network using Group Policy. • NetHood. This folder contains shortcuts to objects on the network. Users can folders to which these shortcuts are linked in the My Network Places folder. • PrintHood. This folder contains shortcuts to printer objects. Users see the contents folder in the Printers folder. • Recent. This folder contains shortcuts to the most recently used documents. these shortcuts on the My Recent Documents menu, which is on the Start menu. • SendTo. This folder contains shortcuts to drives, folders, and applications that targets. Users see the contents of this folder when they right-click an object and Send To. • Start Menu. This folder contains shortcuts to program items. Users see the contents folder on the Start menu and on the Start menu's All Programs menu. IT professionals redirect this folder to a network location using Group Policy. • Templates. This folder contains template files. Users see the contents of this they right-click in a folder and then click New. • 225 Figure 10-3: The user profile folders you see in this figure are the default folders in a clean installation of Windows XP. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders is the Windows XP stores the location of each folder that's part of a user profile. Each value represents a folder as shown in Table 10-2. These are REG_EXPAND_SZ values, so you environment variables in them. Use %USERPROFILE% to direct the folder somewhere users' profile folders and %USERNAME% to include users' names, particularly when redirect a profile folder to a network location. Redirect users' Favorites folders to the setting Favorites to \\ Server \ Share \%USERNAME% \Favorites, where \\Server \Share server and share containing the folders, for example. Windows XP does not use the Shell Folder. Table 10-2: User Profile Folders Name Default path AppData %USERPROFILE%\Application Data Cache %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files Cookies %USERPROFILE%\Cookies Desktop %USERPROFILE%\Desktop Favorites %USERPROFILE%\Favorites History %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\History Local AppData %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data Local Settings %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings My Pictures %USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Pictures NetHood %USERPROFILE%\NetHood Personal %USERPROFILE%\My Documents PrintHood %USERPROFILE%\PrintHood Programs %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs Recent %USERPROFILE%\Recent SendTo %USERPROFILE%\SendTo Start Menu %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu Startup %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup Templates %USERPROFILE%\Templates 226 The profile folders you saw in Figure 10-1 contain more than the standard user profiles that Windows XP creates when users log on to the operating system. The figure shows four special user profiles about which any IT professional should learn: All Users. This profile folder contains settings that apply to all users who log on to the computer. This profile folder contains a profile hive, Ntuser.dat, which the operating system doesn't load. Also, this profile folder contains the shared documents and music folders; shared Start menu shortcuts, and so on. The key User Shell Folders in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer contains the linkages to the subfolders in the All Users profile folder. • Default User. This profile folder contains the default user profile that Windows XP copies when it creates new user profiles. It contains most of the files and folders that you learned about in the previous section. Customizing this folder is a good way to start each user who logs on to the computer with the same settings. Windows XP first checks for a Default User folder on the NETLOGON share of the server and uses the local Default User folder only if the network copy isn't available. Customizing this folder is a good way to deploy settings that you don't want to manage. You learn how to customize it in the section "Deploying Default User Profiles," later in this chapter. • LocalService. This profile folder is for the built-in LocalService account, which Service Control Manager uses to host services that don't need to run in the LocalSystem account. This is a normal user profile with limited data. You don't see it in the User Profiles dialog box, and the LocalService folder is super-hidden. • NetworkService. This profile folder is for the built-in NetworkService account, which the Service Control Manager uses to host network services that don't need to run in the LocalSystem account. This is a normal user profile. You don't see it in the User Profiles dialog box, and the NetworkService folder is super-hidden. • In the previous list, the first two profile folders are far more interesting than the last two. IT professionals often customize the All Users profile folder on disk images. The customization, such as a shortcut on the Start menu, affects all users who log on to the computer. IT professionals more frequently customize the \Default User folder, though. Doing so is a great way to create custom settings that you don't want to manage. In other words, it's one method for deploying common user preferences while still allowing users to change those preferences if necessary. As you'll learn throughout this chapter, customizing the Default User folder on a disk image isn't necessarily the most efficient means to deploy default user settings. Instead, create a customized Default User folder on the server's NETLOGON share. See the section "Deploying Default User Profiles," later in this chapter. Tip Many programs install themselves for use by a single user when you really want all users who share the computer to use them. You can tell when a program is installed per-user because its shortcut is in the profile folder belonging to the account you used to install it. If the program re-creates missing settings as it starts, you can change the program from per-user to per-computer by simply moving its shortcut from the user profile folder in which it installed the shortcut to the All Users profile folder. This works the other way, too. You can move a shortcut from the All Users profile folder to a specific user's profile folder so that only a single user sees the shortcut. Improvements to User Profiles 227 user made to his or her profile are not saved to the server. This has three symptoms: The user experience is affected because changes are not saved when users log on to another computer. • Because locked profiles never get unloaded, they end up using a lot of memory on a terminal server that has many users logging on to it. • If a profile is marked for deletion at logoff (to clean up the machine or for temporary profiles), profiles do not get deleted. The three symptoms are solved as follows: • In Windows XP, when a user logs off and the profile is locked, the operating system polls the profile for 60 seconds before giving up. Windows XP then saves the user's profile hive and roams the profile correctly. • When the application or service closes the registry key and unlocks the profile, Windows XP unloads the users profile hive, freeing memory used by the profile. • If a profile is marked for deletion, when the reference count drops to zero, Windows XP unloads and deletes it. In the event that the application never releases the registry key, Windows XP deletes all profiles marked for deletion at the next machine boot. • Getting User Profiles How users get their profiles depends on the type of profile you've configured their accounts to use: Local user profile. This profile is created the first time users log on to their computers. Local user profiles are stored on the local hard disk. Changes that users make to their profiles don't follow them from computer to computer. • Roaming user profile. This profile is available to users from any computer on the network, and changes that users make to their profiles follow them from computer to computer. • Mandatory user profile. This profile is similar to roaming user profiles. Administrators assign mandatory user profiles to users, and Windows XP throws away users' changes when they log off of the operating system. In other words, users start with the same settings every time they log on to the operating system. Microsoft provides mandatory user profiles to provide compatibility with Windows NT 4.0, but you should consider using Group Policy instead. • The following sections describe how Windows XP creates a profile when users log on to the operating system. The section "Using Roaming User Profiles" describes how to create and manage roaming user profiles. Also, the section "Managing Roaming User Profiles" shows you how to prevent Windows XP from merging the local copy of a profile with the server copy using Group Policy. Local Profiles Here's an overview of how Windows XP creates and uses a local user profile for users the first time they log on to their computers: The user logs on to Windows XP. 1. Windows XP checks the list of user profiles in the key ProfileList to determine if a local profile exists for the user. If an entry exists, the operating system uses it; otherwise, the operating system does one of the following: 2. 228 exists,theoperatingsystemcopiesNETLOGON\Defaul %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Documents and Settings\Username, where Username name of the user's account. If the computer is not a domain member or if Windows XP doesn't find a default profile on the NETLOGON share, it uses the local default user profile. %SYSTEMDRIVE\DocumentsandSettings\Default %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Documents and Settings\Username. → Windows XP loads the profile hive Ntuser.dat into HKU and links the root key HKCU 3. When the user logs off of Windows XP, the operating system saves any changes to the profile user profile folder. It doesn't copy the profile folder to the network. It also unloads the from the registry. Roaming Profiles Here's an overview of how Windows XP creates and uses a roaming user profile for users time they log on to their computers: The user logs on to Windows XP. 1. Windows XP checks the list of user profiles in the key ProfileList to determine profile exists for the user. If an entry exists, the operating system merges the network of the profile into the local profile folder; otherwise, the operating system does following: Windows XP checks the NETLOGON share on the domain controller for User folder. If it exists, the operating system copies the Default User %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Documents and Settings\ Username, where Username name of the user's account. → If Windows XP doesn't find a default user profile on the NETLOGON share, %SYSTEMDRIVE\DocumentsandSettings\Default %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Documents and Settings\Username. → 2. Windows XP loads the profile hive Ntuser.dat into HKU and links the root key HKCU 3. When users log off of Windows XP, the operating system saves their changes to the local folders and then unloads the profile hives from HKU. Afterward, the operating system profile folders to the network location specified by the administrator. If the profile folder exists on the network, the operating system merges the local copy into the network copy. information, see "Understanding the New Merge," later in this chapter. NoteThere are two differences between roaming and mandatory user profiles. First you mandatory profile and copy it to the user's profile folder instead of allowing Windows create it when the user logs on to the computer. Second you rename the Ntuser. Ntuser.man. Windows XP uses the .manfile extension to make the profile mandatory. Windows XP doesn't merge mandatory user profiles to the network when the user the computer. 229 You configure roaming user profiles on the server, so the user must be a member of and the domain to use a roaming user profile. Both Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 and Windows 2000 Server support roaming user profiles, as does Microsoft Windows .NET following instructions show you how to configure roaming user profiles in Active Directory Windows 2000 Server: Create a folder on the server where you want to store user profiles. This is the folder that will contain individual user profile folders. 1. Share the folder, giving all users full control. (I sometimes reduce users' permissions and execute in this folder, and then give them full control of their individual profile 2. In Active Directory Users and Computer, double-click the account that you want to use a roaming user profile. 3. On the Profile tab of the Name Properties dialog box, shown in Figure 10-4, type where you want to store the user's profile in the Profile Path box. The path is Share \ Username, where Server is the name of the server, Share is the share in step 1, and Username is the name of the account. Optionally, use %USERNAME% Username, and Active Directory substitutes the current account's name for it. 4. 230 If you want to configure a lot of accounts to use roaming user profiles, doing the job by hand is a monumental task. Instead, use a third-party tool or write an Active Directory Scripting Interface (ADSI) script to do the job. You access ADSI through Windows Script Host using VBScript or JScript. This subject is beyond the scope of this book, but you can find more information about it on Microsoft's Web site: http://www.microsoft.com. Folder Redirection is a great complement to user profiles, particularly the roaming variety. It enables an IT professional to redirect the location of some profile folders to the network. There's nothing magical about Folder Redirection. Group Policy simply changes the folder's location in the User Shell Folders key so that applications automatically look for the folder on the network. From users' perspectives, redirected folders are similar to roaming user profiles because their documents follow them from computer to computer. Unlike roaming user profiles, however, redirected folders always remain in the same place. You can use redirected folders with or without roaming user profiles. If you use them with roaming user profiles, you can reduce the amount of data that Windows XP transfers when users log on to and off of the operating system. Furthermore, redirected folders are often useful even when you don't intend to use roaming user profiles; you can allow users' documents to follow them without the complexity and sometimes difficulty of using roaming user profiles. You learn about roaming user profiles in the earlier section "Getting User Profiles." Table 10-3: Roaming and Redirecting Folders Folder Can roam? Can redirect? Application Data Yes Yes Cookies Yes No Desktop Yes Yes Favorites Yes No Local Settings No No My Documents Yes Yes My Recent Documents Yes No NetHood Yes No PrintHood Yes No SendTo Yes No Start Menu Yes Yes Templates Yes No Best Practices for Roaming User Profiles The following are best practices for roaming user profiles: Redirect the My Documents folder outside of roaming user profiles. Doing so decreases logon time. Folder Redirection is the best way to do this, but you can redirect the My Documents folder manually, as Chapter 15, "Working Around IT Problems," describes. • Don't use Encrypted File System (EFS) on files in a roaming user profile. EFS is not compatible with roaming user profiles. Encrypting a roaming user profile prevents the user profile from roaming. • 231 that Windows XP creates during the synchronization process, so ensure that enough disk space is available on the server. Also, make sure enough disk space is available on the workstation to create temporary duplicate copies of the profile. Don't make folders in roaming user profiles available offline. If you use Offline Folders with roaming user profile folders, synchronization problems occur because both Offline Folders and roaming user profiles try to synchronize at the same time. However, you can use Offline Folders with folders you redirect, such as My Documents. • Use Group Policy loopback policy processing in moderation if you're also using roaming user profiles. Loopback processing enables you to apply different per-user Group Policy settings to users based on the computer they're using. • When redirecting the My Documents folder outside of a roaming user profile, set the home folder to the redirected My Documents folder for compatibility with applications that aren't compatible with folder redirection. • Disable fast network logon using Group Policy if you're using roaming user profiles. This prevents conflicts that occur when user profiles change from local to roaming. For more information, see "Understanding Fast Network Logon," later in this chapter. • Managing Roaming User Profiles Group Policy provides a number of policies that you can use to manage how Windows XP handles user profiles. You can configure these policies in a local Group Policy Object (GPO) or in a network GPO. Chapter 6, "Using Registry-Based Policy," gives more information. For now, here's a description of policies for user profiles: Connect home directory to root of the share. This policy restores the definitions of the %HOMESHARE% and %HOMEPATH% environment variables to those used in Windows NT 4.0 and earlier. • Limit profile size. This policy sets the maximum size of each roaming user profile and determines the system's response when a roaming user profile reaches the maximum size. If user profiles become excessively large, consider redirecting the My Documents folder to a location outside of the profile. • Exclude directories in a roaming profile. This policy enables you to add to the list of folders excluded from the user's roaming profile. • Delete cached copies of roaming profiles. This policy determines whether the system saves a copy of a user's roaming profile on the local computer's hard disk when the user logs off. • Do not detect slow network connections. This policy disables the slow link detection feature. • Slow network connection timeout for user profiles. This policy defines a slow connection for roaming user profiles. • Wait for remote user profile. This policy directs the system to wait for the remote copy of the roaming user profile to load, even when loading is slow. Also, the system waits for the remote copy when the user is notified about a slow connection but does not respond in the time allowed. • Prompt user when slow link is detected. This policy notifies users when their roaming profile is slow to load. Users can then decide whether to use a local copy or to wait for the roaming user profile. • Timeout for dialog boxes. This policy determines how long the system waits for a user response before it uses a default value. • 232 Maximum retries to unload and update user profile. This policy determines times the system will try to unload and update the profile hive. When the number specified by this setting is exhausted, the system stops trying. As a result, the might not be current, and local and roaming user profiles might not match. • Add the Administrators security group to roaming user profiles. This policy Administrator security group to the roaming user profile share. The default behavior administrators from managing individual profile folders without taking ownership of • Prevent Roaming Profile changes from propagating to the server. determines if the changes a user makes to his or her roaming profile are merged server copy of their profile. This is a policy-based method for implementing mandatory profiles. • Only allow local user profiles. This policy determines if roaming user profiles are on a particular computer. By default, when roaming-profile users log on to a computer, roaming profile is copied to the local computer. If they have already logged computer in the past, the roaming profile is merged with the local profile. Similarly, users logs off this computer, the local copy of their profile, including any changes made, is merged with the server copy of their profile. • The first three policies in this list are per-user and the remaining are per-computer policies; 10-5 shows them in Group Policy editor. All of them are administrative policies in System\ Profiles under User Configuration and Computer Configuration. Figure 10-5: These policies give you management control of how Windows XP uses profiles. Understanding Fast Network Logon Windows XP doesn't wait for the network to start before displaying the Logon To Windows box. This substantially improves start time over Windows 2000. Users who've previously to the computer get to their desktops faster because the operating system uses cached and loads Group Policy in the background after the network becomes available. Although network logon improves perceived performance, it has effects you should understand. important thing to take away from this section is that Windows XP doesn't use fast network 233 Because background refresh is the default behavior, users might have to log on to Windows to three times for Group Policy extensions like Software Installation and Folder Redirection effect. Windows XP must process these types of extensions in the background without logged on to it. Also, because advanced Folder Redirection is based on group membership, must log on to Windows XP three times: once to update the cached user object membership, a second time to detect the change in group membership and require a policy application, and a third time to apply folder redirection policy in the foreground. The system might require users to log on two times to update the properties of other Group objects. Another thing to keep in mind is the effect that fast network logon has on Windows XP profiles change from local to roaming. When the operating system uses fast network always uses the locally cached copy of the profile. By the time the operating system detects user has a roaming user profile, it's already loaded the local profile hive and changed its The result is that if users log on to multiple computers, the operating system can replace profile hives with older ones. To handle this scenario, Windows XP treats the change from roaming as a special case. First the operating system checks the following conditions: Is the user changing from a local to a roaming profile? • Is a copy of the user profile on the server? • If both these conditions are true, Windows XP merges the contents of the local user profile server copy, without the profile hive Ntuser.dat. Then the operating system copies the of the profile to the local copy, regardless of the profile hives' timestamps. After the user's becomes a roaming profile, Windows XP always waits for the network so it can download profile. In other words, fast network logon and roaming user profiles don't work together. Note Considering the changes that Windows XP makes to roaming user profiles, if you roaming profile path from a user in Active Directory, you should remove the profile the server. If you reconfigure the user to use roaming user profiles and you use path, the user will receive the older, server copy of the user profile. Understanding the New Merge Many IT professionals are shy about using roaming user profiles because they have with the merge algorithm that Windows NT 4.0 uses. That algorithm assumes that there master copy of the user profile. When the user logs on to the computer, the operating assumes that the master profile is on the local computer, and when the user logs computer, it assumes that the master profile is on the server. It mirrors the entire profile local computer to the server and visa versa, completely replacing the profile at the target This works perfectly well when people use a single computer, but it creates havoc when multiple computers. The merge algorithm in Windows XP is more advanced; it merges user profiles at the other words, it's a real merge, not a wipe-and-load. The merged profile then becomes a the files in the local and server copies of the user profile, and when a file exists in both operating system uses the most recent version of the file. New files don't turn up missing, updated files are not replaced—both of which are symptoms that occur with the merge Windows NT 4.0. In the case of the Windows NT 4.0 merge, if a profile changes on two only the last one copied to the network persists. 234 ProfileList. When the user logs off of the computer, the operating system uses the timestamp determine which files have been added or removed from the server's copy of the user example, if a file called Example.doc is in the server copy of the user profile but not copy, the timestamp helps Windows XP determine whether the file was added to the server removed from the local copy. If the timestamp of the file is later than the timestamp of the profile, the file was added to the server copy. The result is that Windows XP doesn't touch when it merges the local profile into the server copy. If the timestamp of the file is earlier timestamp of the local user profile, the file was removed from the local user profile. The Windows XP removes the file from the server copy of the profile when the operating system the local copy into it. With Windows XP, if a profile changes on two computers, both merged file by file into the server copy. Note There is another issue that keeps many IT professionals from using roaming profiles. Roaming user profiles are terrific when configurations are similar desktop to desktop. When users log on to different computers with different applications, screen sizes, power management requirements, and so user profiles are cumber-some and users' experiences aren't very good. user profiles are great in scenarios such as call centers and other environments which configurations are standardized, but they are not very useful configurations are not standardized in the organization. Deploying Default User Profiles Deploying default user profiles is one of the easiest ways to deploy settings to new users. use default user profiles to deploy settings to existing users, though, because they already user profiles. These aren't settings that you want to manage. They're defaults that establish for users while allowing users to change them when necessary. Essentially, default user profiles is like modifying the default settings in Windows XP. If you want setting that users can't change, use policies. Chapter 6, "Using Registry-Based Policies," more information about managing settings. To deploy a default user profile, follow these steps: Create a template account. You can use a local or a domain account, but the user profile is generally cleaner a local account on a computer that's not joined to a domain. (Because I include shortcuts in my profiles, I usually use a domain account to create default user profiles.) use a name for the template account that you're sure is unique in the registry and than eight characters. You'll learn why using a unique name is important a bit later. 1. Log on to the computer using the template account, and customize its settings. "Customizing User Settings," later in this chapter, describes settings that I frequent. 2. Clean up the user profile to remove artifacts that you don't want to deploy. The "Cleaning the User Profile," later in this chapter, describes how to clean the profile. 3. Copy the template account's user profile folder to a new location and name it Default Don't replace %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Documents and Settings\Default User, however, you might need to repeat the process a few times to get it right and you'll want default user profile handy. In the section "Creating the Default User Folder," 4. 235 Deploy the default user profile. You can put the Default User folder in %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Documents and Settings on disk images and then deploy them, or you can put the Default User folder on the NETLOGON share of the server. I prefer the second method because it separates settings from the disk images, which allows me to update settings much more easily. 5. Alternatives to Default User Profiles An alternative to customizing a bunch of settings in default user profiles is scripting. Create a script that configures Windows XP user settings per your company's requirements. This assumes that you have a specification, or at the very least, a list of settings that you want to customize for users. Then edit the Ntuser.dat hive file in the disk image's Default User folder, adding the command that executes the script to the key HKCU\Software\Microsoft \Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce. The Ntuser.dat hive file in the Default User folder doesn't contain the RunOnce key by default, so you must add it. Then add a REG_SZ value to this key—the name is arbitrary—and put the command line you want to execute in it. Each time Windows XP creates a new user profile, it executes the script to customize the user's settings. Also, you can add a script that customizes the current user profile to HKLM\Software \Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run. Windows XP runs this script every time a user logs on to the computer. If you want only to configure settings the first time the user logs on to the computer, add code to the script that checks for a value in HKCU and runs only if that value doesn't exist. Then end the script with code that creates the missing value so that the script doesn't run the next time the user logs on to the computer. Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes," shows you how to write scripts using Windows Scripting Host, and these are ideal for this scenario. Customizing User Settings Log on to the template account you created in step 1 of the previous section and customize the account's settings. When customizing settings for a default use profile, less is more. Preferably, you'll work from a list of settings that you've vetted with other members of the deployment planning team. The following list will give you an idea of the settings I frequently target with default user profiles: Taskbar • Quick Launch toolbar • Start menu • Windows Explorer • Internet Explorer • My Network Places • Search Assistants • Tweak UI • Control Panel, in particular: Display → Folder Options → Mouse → • 236 Sounds and Audio Devices → Taskbar and Start Menu → You want to customize per-user settings because those are the only settings that are profile. How do you know that a setting is per-user when you're customizing a user profile? don't necessarily. That's why you must test the settings in your list ahead of time. Sitting construct a default user profile isn't the time to begin wondering whether a particular per-user or per-computer. The easiest way to figure this out is to log on to a new account customize the settings in your list. Then copy that user profile to a clean installation of Windows and see which settings made it. The settings that didn't make it are per-computer settings, you'll want to scratch them off of your list. There are a small number of settings that are but still don't work well in default user profiles, and there's generally little you can do about hack the profile to make them work. The most prominent example is desktop wallpaper. wallpaper in a default user profile requires you to include the wallpaper graphic file inside folder and then hack the profile hive to point to the new location. You might also want to include settings for applications you're deploying, whether you include on your disk images or deploy them using other methods. First a caveat: Don't include Windows Installer-based applications in a default user profile. Windows Installer provides methods for deploying settings. That means you shouldn't deploy settings for Office default user profiles. Instead, use tools such as Custom Installation Wizard and Office Wizard. Both tools come with the Office XP Resource Kit, and Chapter 14, "Deploying Settings," describes how to use them. Install other types of applications and customize their to your requirements just as you would customize Windows XP settings. This last part is optional but I recommend it: Remove artifacts from the user profile that want to deploy. Artifacts include history lists and the like. I have a preset route that I use a user profile. First I clear the Start menu and Internet Explorer's history lists. To do this: Click Start, Control Panel, Appearance And Themes, and Taskbar And Start Menu. Start Menu tab, click Customize. On the Customize Start Menu dialog box's Advanced click the Clear List button. • Click Start, Control Panel, Network And Internet Connections, and Internet Options. Internet Options dialog box, click Clear History to remove Internet Explorer's history • You don't need to worry about removing temporary Internet files because these are in Local Settings folder and Windows XP doesn't copy them with the profile. If you opened Explorer to customize it, however, you might clear out the cookies and AutoComplete Internet Options dialog box, on the General tab, click Delete Cookies, and then on the Content click AutoComplete followed by Clear Forms and Clear Passwords. After you're finished customizing and cleaning the account's settings, log off of Windows word of advice is to tread lightly; don't open dialog boxes and programs you don't customize. Doing so keeps their settings out of the default user profile. For example, intend to customize Windows Media Player, don't open the program. Cleaning User Profiles You cleaned the user profile a wee bit in the previous section, but only to remove some from the profile hive. The next major step is to open the profile hive in Regedit and 237 The most significant example is paths. User profiles contain references to the profile folder: %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Documents and Settings\ Name. If you deploy the user profile to countless users, they'll all have different profile folders. When they try accessing the profile folder Name, Windows XP and programs will fail because the user doesn't have access to that folder. A more concrete example will make this clear. Assume you created a user profile using a template account called DefUser and deployed that profile to a user named Jerry. The user Jerry has access to %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Documents and Settings\Jerry, but the folder %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Documents and Settings\DefUser doesn't even exist. When the user Jerry runs a program that uses a setting containing the path to the DefUser user profile folder, the program causes an error. To correct this situation, follow these steps: Log on to the computer containing the template user profile as Administrator. 1. In Regedit, load the Ntuser.dat hive file from the template user profile folder. (See Chapter 2, "Using the Registry Editor" to learn about using hive files.) 2. Search the hive file for references to the template user profile folder. If the name of the folder is longer than eight characters, search for the long and short versions of the folder's name. 3. Remove values that contain the path of the template user profile folder. 4. Unload the hive file and restart the computer. Restarting the computer is often necessary because Windows XP locks the file and you can't copy it. Restarting the computer is the quickest way to force it to let go of the file. 5. When you remove values that contain the path of the template user profile folder in step 4, you're assuming that Windows XP and other programs re-create missing settings. This isn't always true. Some of my favorite applications fail to re-create missing settings. You'll learn which do and which don't through trial and error. You can handle the problem easily, though. Rather than removing the value permanently, replace a REG_SZ value with a REG_EXPAND_SZ value of the same name. Then set the value to the original path, substituting %USERPROFILE% for the portion that is the user profile folder. For example, if you see a REG_SZ value called Templates that contains C:\Documents and Settings\Jerry\Templates, remove the value; then add the value Templates back as a REG_EXPAND_SZ value and set it to %USERPROFILE%\Templates. Test these changes in your lab to make sure they work properly. In the previous section, you cleared some of the history lists using the Windows XP user interface. Take this opportunity to further cover your tracks by removing the keys listed in Table 104. These correspond to most of the history lists that Windows XP keeps, including the Search Assistant and common dialog boxes. Table 10-4: History Lists to Remove History list Key Internet Explorer's address bar HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\TypedURLs Run dialog box HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RunMRU Documents menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\RecentDocs Common dialog boxes HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ComDlg32 \LastVisitedMRU Search Assistant HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Search Assistant\ACMru 238 The template user profile is ready to go. All you have to do now is copy it. To open the User dialog box, click Start, Control Panel, Performance And Maintenance, and then System. Advanced tab, click Settings in the User Profiles area. In the User Profiles dialog box, template user profile and then click Copy To. In the Copy Profile To box, shown in Figure the path to which you want to copy the profile. To keep things simple, I usually copy folder to C:\Default User. Just make sure that the folder doesn't already exist. Also, Everyone group permission to use the profile, which is appropriate for a default user profile: Change, type Everyone, and then click OK. The default user profile is ready to deploy, learn how to do that in the next section. Figure 10-6: Copy the template user profile using this dialog box; don't copy the folder using Windows Explorer because doing so copies artifacts that you don't want in the profile. The method I just described is common for creating a default user profile from a template profile. I don't like it because user profiles expand greatly in size and complexity after Windows loads and uses them. A default user profile created using the method I just described contains files and folders than necessary. To use the more surgical method that I prefer, follow these Copy %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Documents and Settings\Default User to another location, as C:\Default User. You want to keep the original Default User folder around, you have to start over again. 1. Copy the Ntuser.dat hive file from the template user profile to your copy of the Default folder, C:\Default User. 2. Copy other files from the template user profile folder to your copy of the Default C:\Default User. I tend to copy files from the following folders, assuming they contain want to deploy: \Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch → \Desktop → \Favorites → \NetHood → \PrintHood → \SendTo → \Templates → 3. 239 After completing the steps in the last section, you have a default user profile that's ready You have two choices. If you're deploying Windows XP using disk-imaging techniques, include the default user profile on the disk image. Replace %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Documents Settings\Default User with your own Default User folder. After replacing the Default User your own, clone and deploy the disk image. When new users log on to the computer, they'll your default user profile and thus your settings. I don't like customizing the local Default User folder as my sole means of deploying default though. I prefer to separate settings from configurations. What if I need to update a setting line? I don't want to update the Default User folder on each computer in the organization. The alternative is to copy the customized Default User folder to the NETLOGON share server. As you learned earlier in the chapter, Windows XP looks first for the network version Default User folder and then the local version. The first time users log on to a computer, XP gets my default user profile from the network. Of course, the benefit is that I can always it later. The primary problem with this method is that if users log on to their computers still get the local default user profile. That's the reason that I prefer doing both at the same replace the Default User folder on disk images and also copy the same folder to the NETLOGON share of the server. NoteAn alternative to copying a default user profile to the NETLOGON share is keeping profile handy on the network and then copying it to users' network profile folders create new accounts. For example, stash away a default user profile somewhere server. Assuming that you're using roaming user profiles, copy the default user new accounts' profile folders. The first time those users log on to Windows XP, the system downloads their roaming user profile, which you've already preconfigured. useful in one-off scenarios when you want users to have a profile other than the also useful in a heterogeneous environment, which often requires different user different versions of Windows. Coexisting with Earlier Versions of Windows Coexistence is an issue that affects roaming user profiles only. If you're not using roaming profiles on your network, coexistence isn't an issue because you won't be deploying user different versions of Windows. In general, though, roaming user profiles are compatible Windows 2000 and Windows XP. Here are a few precautions you can take to minimize problems: Try to make sure that users with roaming user profiles are logging on to the same Windows on each computer. That means you should choose your rollout units so picking up all the computers that users can access. • At the very least, make sure the same application versions are on each computer you've installed applications to the same path on each computer. • If you're using roaming user profiles with Windows 2000 and Windows XP, make %SYSTEMDRIVE% and %SYSTEMROOT% are the same. Also, make sure that stored in the same path. If you're using roaming user profiles with Windows Windows XP, you should move the location of user profiles that Windows XP uses the ProfilesDir property in the [GuiUnattended] section of your answer file. • 240 Windows NT-based profiles. Second having knowledge of both versions of the registry, that subtle differences between the two are likely to cause configuration problems in the anybody suggests that you can use roaming user profiles with any combination other than 2000 and Windows XP, I'd ask for more information and test these scenarios carefully in Migrating User Settings to Windows XP Default user profiles give settings to new users, but what do you do about users who already user profiles? You can let Windows XP migrate the user profile. Throw disk imaging into you have a whole different bag of problems. One of the drawbacks of using disk imaging the operating system is that users lose their documents and settings. This doesn't have barrier to deployment, though. A variety of third-party utilities are available to migrate settings. Also, Microsoft provides two tools, one for the user and one for the IT professional. All these tools work roughly the same way. First you siphon users' documents and settings their computers and store them on the network. You install a new disk image to their and then you re-apply their settings. Users get to keep their documents and settings. Here tools that Microsoft provides: Files And Settings Transfer Wizard. This tool is designed for the user. This wizard useful in enterprise environments when employees want to migrate their own and settings without the IT department's help. • User State Migration Tool (USMT). This tool is designed for IT professionals large-scale deployments of Windows XP Professional in an enterprise. USMT provides same functionality as File And Settings Transfer Wizard, but on a larger scale. USMT IT professionals precise control over the documents and settings that it migrates. • Files And Settings Transfer Wizard Files And Settings Transfer Wizard is a fast and easy way for you to copy all your documents settings from your previous configuration to Windows XP. To start it, click Start, All Accessories, System Tools, Files And Settings Transfer Wizard. It migrates settings in groups: Action. This group includes settings such as the key repeat rate, whether doublefolder opens it in a new window or the same window, and whether you need to doubleor single-click an object to open it. • Internet. This group includes settings that enable you to connect to the Internet how Internet Explorer works. They include settings such as your home page URL, Internet shortcuts, cookies, security settings, dial-up connections, and so on. • Mail. This group includes settings for connecting to your mail server, your signature views, mail rules, local mail, and contacts. The wizard supports only Outlook and Express. • Application. This group includes application settings such as Microsoft Office. migrates only application settings, not the applications. You must reinstall upgrading to Windows XP. • Files And Settings Transfer Wizard also migrates your documents. It does so by type (*. (C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\My Documents), or name (C:\Documents 241 file types, and files lists. User State Migration Tool User State Migration Tool (USMT) is similar to Files And Settings Transfer Wizard but ability for you to fully customize exactly what it migrates. USMT is designed for IT professionals only; individual users do not need to use USMT. The tool is designed for large-scale and it requires a domain controller on which to store settings during migration. USMT consists of two programs, ScanState.exe and LoadState.exe, and four migration information files: Migapp.inf, Migsys.inf, Miguser.inf, and Sysfiles.inf. ScanState.exe collects documents and settings based on the information contained in Migapp.inf, Migsys.inf, and Sysfiles.inf. LoadState.exe deposits this user state data on a computer running installation of Windows XP. Both of these tools are on the Windows XP \Valueadd\Msft\Usmt folder. The shared set of INF files drive USMT. IT professionals these files to customize the documents and settings that the tool migrates. In fact, during deployment project, you'll most likely have to modify the INF files to handle your requirements. NoteThe whitepaper "Step-by-Step Guide to Migrating Files and Settings" is a good learninghowtouseUSMT.Thiswhitepaperisonthe www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/techinfo/deployment/filesettings/default.asp. 242 Overview Windows Installer is a component of Microsoft Windows XP that simplifies application deployment, management, and removal. It manages installation by applying the setup rules that a package contains. These rules define which files to install and the configuration of the application. installing Windows Installer—based applications, you can change, repair, or remove them high degree of reliability—much greater than with applications that use legacy setup programs. Windows XP, Windows Installer is an operating system service. Windows Installer is a big subject. Component management, customization with transforms, deployment through Active Directory, and resiliency are some of the topics in the vast list you should learn about Windows Installer before deploying applications based on the technology. This is a book about the registry, however, so I must focus on how Windows Installer interacts the registry. With that said, you don't necessarily need to run out and buy a book to learn deploy Windows Installer-based applications. Microsoft posted incredibly useful documentation the company's Web site. The whitepaper that I'd suggest you start with is "Windows BenefitsandImplementationforSystemAdministrat www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/administration/management/wininstaller.asp. Office XP Resource Kit, www.microsoft.com/office/ork, is the ultimate resource for learning deploy big Windows Installer-based applications like Microsoft Office XP. From this point I'm assuming that you're familiar with Windows Installer and want to know more about interacts with the registry. In this chapter, I describe Windows Installer registry settings. First I describe how Windows Installer-based application's user and computer settings. One of the really about Windows Installer is that it heads off helpdesk calls by repairing applications automatically when it detects a problem (missing or corrupt files, for example) and enabling users to application's user and computer settings manually. This chapter also describes the professionals use to manage Windows Installer and the applications that use it. Some more useful than others, so I'll describe the ones that offer solutions to common deployment problems. Last, I wrap up by describing the tools you can use to remove an application's Installer settings from the registry. These tools are sometimes essential because application's Windows Installer settings become corrupt, you can't remove the application Or Remove Programs and you can't reinstall or repair it. Repairing Registry Settings One of the most common things you'll find yourself doing with a Windows Installerapplication's registry settings is repairing them. The most common scenario is when settings are so out of whack that the only choice is to restore them to their original values. for computer settings, too. After the helpdesk call has exceeded a reasonable amount technician can put a quick end to the call by repairing the application. The most straightforward ways to repair a Windows Installer-based application are in the user interface: On the application's Help menu, click Detect And Repair. • In Add Or Remove Programs, select the application you want to repair, click Change, then follow the directions you see on the screen. • 243 variable package is the path and name of the package file from which you installed the application. To repair user settings, type msiexec /fu package. To repair computer settings, type msiexec /fm package. The command msiexec /fmu package gets them both at the same time. These commands work rather well, which you can witness for yourself. Install Office XP. Remove its settings from the registry, which are in HKCU \Software\Microsoft\Office, and then repair user settings. Windows Installer rebuilds the missing settings. msiexec /f[p|o|e|d|c|a|u|m|v|s] package p Reinstall missing files but don't check version o Reinstall missing files or files that are from an earlier version e Reinstall missing files or files that are from the same or earlier version d Reinstall missing files or files that aren't from the same version c Reinstall missing files or files that are corrupt. This option repairs only files that have a checksum in the package file. a Reinstall all files regardless of their versions or checksums u Rewrite the essential registry values described in the package file. This includes values in the per-user branches HKU and HKCU. m Rewrite essential registry values described in the package file. This includes values in the per-computer branches HKLM and HKCR. s Reinstall all shortcuts and overwrite existing icons. v Recache the source package locally. Note Repairing an application using Windows Installer is a bit extreme considering that you have System Restore at your disposal. Chapter 3, "Backing Up the Registry," describes how to use this awesome feature to protect configurations. If users' settings get out of whack, going back to an earlier restore point will likely fix the problem. IT professionals can easily script this operation, too, which enables the helpdesk to automatically go back to the most recent restore point. Managing Windows Installer with Policies Windows Installer provides a number of policies for managing how it installs applications and interacts with users. Some policies are more important and more useful than others; I'll get to that in just a bit. First here's the lineup (the parentheses contain the policies' registry values): User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components \Windows Installer (HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer) Always install with elevated privileges (AlwaysInstallElevated). Directs Windows Installer to use system permissions when it installs any program on the system. You must also set the per-computer version of this policy for it to work. → Search order (SearchOrder). Specifies the order in which Windows Installer searches for installation files. In other words, you can specify the order in which it looks at network, local media, and Web locations for installation files. → Prohibit rollback (DisableRollback). Prohibits Windows Installer from generating and saving the files it needs to reverse an interrupted or unsuccessful installation. This is useful when you know that the disks won't have enough space to hold the rollback files. However, it's dangerous because Windows Installer won't be able to restore the computer if the installation fails. → • 244 prevent users from installing applications themselves, circumventing IT policies. controls only Windows Installer-based applications, though. Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components \Windows (HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer) Disable Windows Installer (DisableMSI). Disables or restricts the use Installer. Use this policy to limit Windows Installer to managed applications. choices are to allow users to install Windows Installer-based applications, allow them, or allow them to install only managed applications. → Always install with elevated privileges (AlwaysInstallElevated). Directs Installer to use system permissions when it installs any program on the system. must also set the per-user version of this policy for it to work. → Prohibit rollback (DisableRollback). Prohibits Windows Installer from and saving the files it needs to reverse an interrupted or unsuccessful This is useful when you know that the user's hard disk doesn't have enough hold the rollback files. However, it's dangerous because Windows Installer able to restore the computer if the installation fails. → Remove browse dialog box for new source (DisableBrowse). Prevents from searching for installation files when they add features or components installed program. By default, if Windows Installer can't find the application's files, it displays a dialog box allowing users to browse for the files. → Prohibit patching (DisablePatch). Prevents users from using Windows install patches. Prevent users from patching their applications to protect malicious code. → Disable IE security prompt for Windows Installer scripts (SafeForScripting). Allows Web-based programs to install software on the computer without notifying user. → Enable user control over installs (EnableUserControl). Permits users installation options that typically are available only to system administrators. policy only in environments that don't lock down and carefully control configurations because it bypasses some of the security features built into Windows Installer. → Enable user to browse for source while elevated (AllowLockdownBrowse). Allows users to search for installation files during privileged installations. Windows Installer doesn't allow users to browse for installation source files running with elevated privileges. → Enable user to use media source while elevated (AllowLockdownMedia). users to install programs from removable media, such as floppy CD-ROMs, during privileged installations. By default, Windows Installer doesn't users to install applications from local media when it's running with privileges. → Enable user to patch elevated products (AllowLockdownPatch). Allows upgrade programs during privileged installations. By default, Windows doesn't allow users to patch applications when the installation program with elevated privileges. → AllowadmintoinstallfromTerminalServices (EnableAdminTSRemote). Allows Terminal Services administrators to configure programs remotely. Windows Installer allows administrators applications only when they are console users. This policy allows them applications using Terminal Services. → Cache transforms in secure location on workstation (TransformsSecure). → • 245 from computer to computer. Users can change the transforms, however. causes Windows Installer to store transforms in a secure location, preventing from changing them, but the transforms don't follow users. Logging (Logging). Specifies the types of events that Windows Installer its transaction log for each installation. The log, Msi.log, appears in directory of the system volume. → Prohibit user installs (DisableUserInstalls). Allows IT professionals user installs. This policy has three choices. Allow per-user installations, which default, and Windows Installer favors per-user installations over per-computer. per-user installations, and Windows Installer favors percomputer installations per user. Prohibit user installations, and Windows Installer prevents applications installing per user. The last option is desirable to ensure a standard configuration that's available to all users on all computers. → TurnoffcreationofSystemRestorecheck (LimitSystemRestoreCheckpointing). Prevents Windows Install from System Restore check points. System Restore enables users, in the problem, to restore their computers to a previous state without losing personal files. By default, the Windows Installer automatically creates a System checkpoint each time an application is installed so that users can restore computer to the state it was in before installing the application. → Of all the policies I just described, the most useful are AlwaysInstallElevated, which security enough to allow restricted users to install applications, TransformsSecure, which transforms to prevent tampering, and the other policies that you can use to significantly Windows Installer. Both ends of the spectrum are available to you. Installing with Elevated Privileges The policy InstallAlwaysElevated installs Windows Installer-based applications with privileges. Microsoft documentation often calls this a privileged installation. This policy is enable users to install applications that they couldn't otherwise install because they're in groups or you've locked down the desktops in your enterprise. A better way is to deploy applications through Active Directory or by using something like SMS (Microsoft Management Server). If neither product is available to you, consider using this policy, mind that the consequences of doing so can be severe. These consequences are due to the fact that users can take advantage of this policy control of their computers. Potentially, users could permanently change their privileges circumvent your ability to manage their accounts and computers. In addition, this policy door to viruses disguised as Windows Installer package files. For these reasons, this isn't that I recommend in any but the most dire situations in which there's no method available tossing users in the local Administrators group. For this policy to be effective, you must enable both the per-computer and per-user versions the same time. In other words, enable it in Computer Configuration as well as User Configuration. TipDeploying applications to locked-down desktops is a common and sticky scenario. AlwaysInstallElevated policy isn't the best solution, either. Other than the typical fare, Active Directory and SMS, elegant solutions do exist for this problem. Chapter 7, Registry Security," describes many of them, including using Security Templates and 246 launching setup programs with elevated privileges. Caching Transforms in Secure Location Transforms are essentially answer files for Windows Installer-based applications. Chapter "Deploying Office XP Settings," describes transforms, but chances are good that you already know all about them. Transforms, which you build using the Office XP Resource Kit's Custom Installation Wizard, customize the way an application installs. When you install an application using a transform, Windows Installer stores the transform with .mst extension in the Application Data folder of the user profile. Windows Installer needs this file reinstall, remove, or repair the application. Keeping it in the user profile ensures that the file always available. For example, if users have roaming user profiles, the transform follows them from computer to computer. This is not secure, however. When you set the TransformsSecure policy, Windows Installer saves transforms in %SYSTEMROOT%, instead, where users don't have permissions to change files. But because Windows Installer requires access to the transform used to install an application, the user must use the same computer on which he or she installed application or have access to the original installation source to install, remove, or repair software. The idea behind this policy is to secure transforms in enterprises when IT professionals can't risk users' maliciously changing the files. Locking Down Windows Installer Table 11-1 describes the policies that provide the most security for Windows Installerbased applications and Windows XP in general. The first part of the table contains per-user policies the second part contains per-computer policies. In the Setting column, Not Configured means you don't define the policy. Enabled speaks for itself. Table 11-1: Secure Windows Installer Settings Policy Setting User Configuration Always install with elevated privileges Not Configured Prevent removable media source for any install Enabled Computer Configuration Always install with elevated privileges Not Configured Enable user to browse for source while elevated Not Configured Enable user to use media source while elevated Not Configured Enable user to patch elevated products Not Configured Remove browse dialog box for new source Enabled Disable Windows Installer Enabled for non-managed apps only Prohibit patching Enabled Enable user control over installs Not Configured Disable IE security prompt for Windows Installer scripts Not Configured Cache transforms in secure location on workstation Enabled 247 to 0x01. To disable the policy, set it to 0x00. Delete the value to remove the policy. These are typical of enterprise-style deployments, however, so I wouldn't configure them in which is totally unmanaged. Instead, configure them using Group Policy locally or on the you can manage them properly. Removing Windows Installer Data If you thought manually removing legacy applications was difficult, try removing Installer-based application manually. More than once I've broken Windows Installerapplications so badly that I couldn't remove them, repair them, or reinstall them. In these had to manually remove the application's Windows Installer data from the registry Windows XP. Tools are available that automate this process, and you learn about them chapter. Removing Windows Installer data without these tools is akin to replacing transistors your computer's mainboard—it's not really possible. Before I introduce the tools, I'm going to point you to the location in the registry where Installer stores data about the applications it installs. Don't modify these settings using Editor (Regedit) because doing so will likely inflict pain on you. Straightening out the relationships between all the different bits of data that Windows Installer stores in the registry is difficult. just good information to have available: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Installer. This branch contains per-user Windows Installer for applications that you install per user. • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer. This branch Windows Installer data for per-computer applications and managed applications. • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall. This branch removal information for Windows Installer-based programs. • HKCR\Installer. This branch contains information similar to the Installer key under • The tools you learn about in the next two sections come with Windows XP Support install the tools from \Support\Tools on your Windows XP CD. Msizap.exe Msizap is a tool that removes most of the data that Windows Installer maintains for an application. doesn't remove the application's files or settings from the hard disk however; you have those up yourself. You can focus this utility on a single application or you can make changes to the Windows Installer data. I've had good luck using Msizap to remove application's Windows Installer data from the registry, but I don't trust it to make huge such as allowing it to remove all the Windows Installer folders and registry keys. The following examples show the different forms of the Msizap program's command line. two forms are the most useful. In the first case, you specify the product code, which is the unique GUID. You're not likely to know the product code off the top of your head, so you're want to use the second form. In the second form, you specify the path and name of the package Then Msizap will look up the product code for you. An example is in order. Assuming installed Microsoft Office XP and can't remove it using Add Or Remove Programs, msizap T! path\proplus.msi in the Run dialog box. Path is the path containing the package Proplus.msi. After Msizap finishes removing the application's Windows Installer data 248 shortcut on the Start menu, but when you click it, you'll see an error message telling you that the application isn't installed. Chapter 3, "Backing Up the Registry," describes how to manually remove a program after you've got it to this step. msizap msizap msizap msizap T[A!] productcode T[A!] packagefile *[A!] ALLPRODUCTS PSA?! * Remove all Windows Installer folders and registry keys, adjusting shared DLL counts and stopping the service T Remove all Windows Installer information for a product P Remove the in-progress key S Remove rollback information A Give administrators full control to targeted folders and keys instead of removing them W Apply changes for all users instead of just the current user G Remove cached Windows Installer files that are orphaned ! Automatically respond Yes to all prompts ? Display help TipI'm not comfortable with manually removing a program's files and registry settings after using Msizap. Most large applications store settings in the registry beyond the typical HKU\Software\Vendor\Product\Version keys. For example, they register components in HKCR, and you might not get rid of them all. My solution seems odd, but it works well. Zapping a program's Windows Installer data from the registry should enable me to reinstall it. So I reinstall the application and then use Add Or Remove Programs to remove it. Windows Installer is likely to do a much cleaner job of removing the application than I am. Msicuu.exe Windows Installer Clean Up (Msicuu.exe in the Windows XP Support Tools) puts a graphical user interface on Msizap.exe. If you're sitting at the computer, use this tool instead of using Msizap at the command prompt. It's less error-prone: In the Run dialog box, type Msicuu, and click OK. 1. In the Windows Installer Clean Up dialog box, shown in Figure 11-1, click the application for which you want to remove Windows Installer data from the registry, and then click Remove. 2. 249 Figure 11-1: Windows Installer Clean Up is a friendly interface for Msizap. Confirm that you want to remove the application's Windows Installer data from the registry by clicking OK. 3. Inventorying Applications One of the more common requests I receive regarding Windows Installer-based applications is about inventorying the applications and features installed on users' computers. If you have a software management infrastructure already in place, you should use the tools that it provides. Otherwise, Microsoft's TechNet Script Center (www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter), which contains an awesome collection of useful scripts, has a few scripts that suit the purpose very well. Listing 11-1 is a script that inventories the software installed on a computer. Listing 11-2 is a script that inventories the features for all software installed on a computer. These inventory only Windows Installer-based applications though. Using Notepad, type each script and save it as a text file with the .vbs extension. To run each script, double-click the file. Listing 11-1: Inventory.vbs Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject") Set objTextFile = objFSO.CreateTextFile("c:\scripts\software.tsv", True) strComputer = "." Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _ & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2") Set colSoftware = objWMIService.ExecQuery _ 250 "Install Date" & vbtab & "Install Location" & vbtab & _ "Install State" & vbtab & "Name" & vbtab & _ "Package Cache" & vbtab & "SKU Number" & vbtab & "Vendor" & vbtab _ & "Version" For Each objSoftware in colSoftware objTextFile.WriteLine objSoftware.Caption & vbtab & _ objSoftware.Description & vbtab & _ objSoftware.IdentifyingNumber & vbtab & _ objSoftware.InstallDate2 & vbtab & _ objSoftware.InstallLocation & vbtab & _ objSoftware.InstallState & vbtab & _ objSoftware.Name & vbtab & _ objSoftware.PackageCache & vbtab & _ objSoftware.SKUNumber & vbtab & _ objSoftware.Vendor & vbtab & _ objSoftware.Version Next objTextFile.Close Listing 11-2: Software.vbs strComputer = "." Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _ & "{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & strComputer & "\root\cimv2") Set colFeatures = objWMIService.ExecQuery _ ("Select * from Win32_SoftwareFeature") For each objFeature in colfeatures Wscript.Echo "Accesses: " & objFeature.Accesses Wscript.Echo "Attributes: " & objFeature.Attributes Wscript.Echo "Caption: " & objFeature.Caption Wscript.Echo "Description: " & objFeature.Description Wscript.Echo "Identifying Number: " & objFeature.IdentifyingNumber Wscript.Echo "Install Date: " & objFeature.InstallDate Wscript.Echo "Install State: " & objFeature.InstallState Wscript.Echo "LastUse: " & objFeature.LastUse Wscript.Echo "Name: " & objFeature.Name Wscript.Echo "ProductName: " & objFeature.ProductName Wscript.Echo "Vendor: " & objFeature.Vendor Wscript.Echo "Version: " & objFeature.Version Next Updating Source Lists After inventorying Windows Installer-based applications, the next most common request I receive is about updating an application's source list. When you deploy a Windows Installer-based application, you specify a list of alternative locations from which Windows Installer can install files. This supports multiple installation locations from a single set of configuration files. If you deployed an application with an incorrect source list or moved your administration installations, you must update the source lists on each client computer. With earlier versions of Windows Installer, updating source lists was a difficult task. You had to deploy a registry hack. With the current versions, you can use Custom Maintenance Wizard to deploy an updated source list. This is a far more elegant solution than deploying a registry hack. Chapter 14, "Deploying Office XP Settings," tells you more about using Custom Maintenance Wizard. 251 252 Overview Users installing Microsoft Windows XP on their own computers don't often worry about the setup program. Instead, they drop the CD in the drive, the setup programs starts, answer the setup program's prompts. That won't work in a business because most business don't know the answers to all the setup program's questions. Automating the setup prevents users from having to fumble with the installation. Furthermore, as an IT professional, want to ensure that users have a positive experience so that they say good things about You should still consider automating Windows XP installation even if you are a power user. installing Windows XP more convenient, and options are available to you through answer just aren't available through the setup program's user interface. Microsoft provides several tools that help you to deploy automated and customized Windows installations. Each tool has purposes, strengths, and weakness that are different from tools in various deployment scenarios. Examples of deployment tools include Sysprep imaging and Remote Installation Service, both of which come with the Microsoft Windows Server and Microsoft Windows .NET Server family of products. Every deployment method has unattended answer files, which you use to automate the setup program so that it runs or no user interaction. The operating system's setup program uses the information contained answer files rather than prompting users for it. Answer files are text files that look like INI files. Answer files have many sections, and each contains settings. Because this book is about Windows XP's registry and user settings desktop deployment, I only introduce you to answer files. After you learn the basics, I'll describe two answer file features that specifically enable you user settings as part of the Windows XP setup process. If you're interested in learning deploying Windows XP, see the Microsoft Windows XP Corporate Deployment Tools User's You find it in Deploy.chm, which is in the Deploy.cab cabinet file in the Support\Tools folder Windows XP CD. You start this chapter by learning how to add files to Windows XP distribution (the i386 folder). Creating Distribution Folders To add files to Windows XP's distribution folder, you start by making a copy of the CD's on your hard disk because you can't modify the CD. You don't need the rest of the files or the CD—just the i386 folder. In a corporate deployment, you'll eventually replicate the i386 folder on distribution servers and then deploy the command that installs Windows them. If you're a power user, you'll likely burn a custom CD that contains your files. You the distribution folder by creating the structure shown in Figure 12-1. 253 Figure 12-1: In addition to creating this folder structure, you must set OEMPreinstall=Yes Windows XP answer file. Here's a description of each folder shown in Figure 12-1: i386 folder. This is the i386 folder from the Windows XP CD, including all of its and files. • $OEM$. This is the OEM distribution folder that contains additional files you want and are required to install Windows XP. If you use the OemFilesPath setting [Unattended] section of the answer file, you can create the $OEM$ folder outside folder. I often create multiple $OEM$ folders (one for each different configuration) deploy each along with a single i386 folder. To do that, I create an answer file configuration that points to a unique $OEM$ folder. You must include OemPreinstall= the [Unattended] section of the answer file if you are using the $OEM$ folder to the system or if you are using Cmdlines.txt to run other programs during installation. • Cmdlines.txt. This file contains the commands that the setup program runs installation. The file format is similar to an INI file. You create this file in the $OEM$ adding each command in the [Commands] section. For more information about Cmdlines.txt, particularly to deploy user settings with Windows XP, see "Cmdlines. in this chapter. • $$Rename.txt. This is an optional file that setup uses during installations you MS-DOS to convert short file names to long file names. You can create a $$Rename. for each folder containing short file names you want to rename, or you can $$Rename.txt file for an entire folder tree. I often use this file when deploying device drivers that use long file names. • $OEM$\Textmode. This folder contains hardware-dependent files that Setup the text-mode setup program install on the target computer during text-mode setup. files include OEM HALs (hardware abstraction layers), mass storage device drivers, Txtsetup.oem file, which describes how to load and install these components. List in the [OEMBootFiles] section of your answer file. This folder isn't as necessary when hardware configurations varied more wildly. • $OEM$\$$. This is the folder into which you add files and subfolders that you want program to copy to the target computer's %SYSTEMROOT% folder. This customize Windows XP Professional system folders. To add a file called Sample. %SYSTEMROOT%\System32, add it to $OEM$\$$\System32. The setup program subfolders that don't exist on the target computer. Therefore, you can create a new in %SYSTEMROOT% called Drivers to deploy third-party device drivers with Windows OemPnPDriversPath must indicate the location of the third-party device drivers on computer; in this case, OemPnPDriversPath=%SYSTEMROOT%\Drivers. • $OEM$\$1. This folder enables you to add files and folders to %SYSTEMDRIVE% target computer. It works in a similar way as $OEM$\$$, except that you use $ add files to the root of the drive on which you're installing Windows XP. A typical creating a folder on %SYSTEMDRIVE% called $OEM$\$1\Sysprep, which automatically adds the Sysprep folder and files necessary to prepare the target computer's • 254 TipYou can use Setup Manager to create the i386 distribution folder for Sysprep, Remote Installation Service, or an unattended installation using an answer file. Setup Manager is in Deploy.cab, which is located in \Support\Tools on the Windows XP CD. Open Deploy.cab in Windows Explorer, and extract its contents to a folder on your hard disk. I prefer to create the distribution folder manually because many options aren't available through Setup Manager's user interface. Customizing Default Settings Windows XP doesn't invent its settings out of thin air. It uses four INF files in the i386 distribution folder to create the registry's hive files when you install the operating system. These INF files use the same syntax I described in Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes," and you should be able to customize them easily. Here are those four INF files: Hivecls.inf. This INF file creates the settings in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes (HKCR). • Hivedef.inf. This INF file creates the settings in HKU\.DEFAULT. It also creates the settings for the default user profile. • Hivesft.inf. This INF file creates the settings in HKLM\SOFTWARE. • Hivesys.inf. This INF file creates the settings in HKLM\SYSTEM. • You can change any of the Windows XP default settings by changing the setting in the hive files listed. For example, if you want to deploy some of the per-user hacks shown in Chapter 4, "Hacking the Registry," change those values in the file Hivedef.inf. This is in lieu of creating a default user profile for Windows XP. If you want to change file associations for every computer in the organization, change them in the file Hivecls.inf. Customizing Answer Files As you have already learned, an answer file is a script that looks much like an INI file. The script drives the setup program, rather than the setup program prompting the user for information. Not only does an answer file automate the setup program's user interface, but it also enables you to configure Windows XP in ways that aren't possible through the user interface. I use an answer file to change the location of user profiles from %SYSTEMDRIVE% \Documents and Settings to %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Profiles, for example, because I'm a command-line junkie and do not like typing C:\Documents and Settings over and over again. Unattend.txt is the traditional name for answer files, but I prefer to give answer files names that make it easy to decipher their purpose. Just make sure that you limit their names to eight characters so you can read their names when installing Windows XP using MS-DOS. Also, I don't like to use the .txt extension for answer files. I prefer to use .sif, which is the file extension for Setup Information Files, so I can easily differentiate a text file from an answer file. For example, I might have an answer file to install Windows XP on a lab computer called Labprep.sif. You might create different answer files for different departments called Sales.sif, Legal.sif, and so on. Regardless, use descriptive names that help you discern the differences between answer files because you'll grow a collection. 255 Listing 12-1: Unattend.txt [Unattended] UnattendMode = FullUnattended TargetPath = Windows FileSystem = LeaveAlone OemPreinstall = Yes OemSkipEula = Yes [GuiUnattended] ; Set the TimeZone. For example, to set the TimeZone for the ; Pacific Northwest, use a value of "004." Be sure to use the ; numeric value that represents your own time zone. To look up ; a numeric value, see the Deploy.chm file on the Windows XP Professional CD. ; The Deploy.cab file is in the \Support\Tools folder. TimeZone = "YourTimeZone" OemSkipWelcome = 1 ; The OemSkipRegional key allows Unattended Installation to skip ; RegionalSettings when the final location of the computer is unknown. OemSkipRegional = 1 [UserData] ; Tip: Avoid using spaces in the ComputerName value. ComputerName = "YourComputerName" ; To ensure a fully unattended installation, you must provide a value ; for the ProductKey key. ProductKey = "Your product key"[LicenseFilePrintData] ; This section is used for server installs. AutoMode = "PerServer"AutoUsers = "50"[Display] BitsPerPel = 16 XResolution = 800 YResolution = 600 VRefresh = 60 [Components] ; This section contains keys for installing the components of ; Windows XP Professional. A value of On installs the component, and a ; value of Off prevents the component from being installed. iis_common = On iis_inetmgr = Off iis_www = Off iis_ftp = Off iis_doc = Off iis_smtp = On ; The Fp_extensions key installs Front Page Server Extensions. Fp_extensions = On ; If you set the TSEnabled key to On, Terminal Services is installed on ; a current version of Windows Server. TSEnabled = On ; If you set the TSClients key to On, the files required to create ; Terminal Services client disks are installed. If you set this key ; to On, you must also set the TSEnabled key to On. TSClients = On Indexsrv_system = On Accessopt = On Calc = On Charmap = On Chat = Off Clipbook = On 256 Hypertrm = On Media_clips = On Media_utopia = On Minesweeper = Off Mousepoint = Off Mplay = On Mswordpad = On Paint = On Pinball = Off Rec = On Solitaire = Off Templates = On Vol = On [TapiLocation] CountryCode = "1" Dialing = Pulse ; Indicates the area code for your telephone. This value must ; be a 3-digit number. AreaCode = "Your telephone area code" LongDistanceAccess = 9 [Networking] [Identification] JoinDomain = YourCorpNet DomainAdmin = YourCorpAdmin DomainAdminPassword = YourAdminPassword [NetOptionalComponents] ; Section contains a list of optional network components to install. Snmp = Off Lpdsvc = Off Simptcp = Off [Branding] ; This section brands Microsoft® Internet Explorer with custom ; properties from the Unattended answer file. BrandIEUsingUnattended = Yes [URL] ; This section contains custom URL settings for Microsoft ; Internet Explorer. If these settings are not present, the ; default settings are used. Specifies the URL for the ; browser's default home page. For example, you might use the ; following: Home_Page = www.microsoft.com. Home_Page = YourHomePageURL ; Specifies the URL for the default search page. For example, ; use the following: Search Page = www.msn.com Search_Page = YourSearchPageURL ; Specifies a shortcut name in the link folder of Favorites. ; For example, you might use the following: Quick_Link_1_Name ; "Microsoft Product Support Services" Quick_Link_1_Name = "Your Quick Link Name" ; Specifies a shortcut URL in the link folder of Favorites. For ; you might use this: Quick_Link_1 = http://support.microsoft. Quick_Link_1 = YourQuickLinkURL [Proxy] ; This section contains custom proxy settings for Microsoft 257 ; with your own values. HTTP_Proxy_Server = proxysrv:80 Use_Same_Proxy = 1 You tell the setup program about your answer file using the /unattend command-line option. You can shorten this to /u (we all know that technology professionals and enthusiasts have a limited number of keystrokes in their lifetime). You also must use the setup program's /source command-line option to tell it where to find the Windows XP source files. You can shorten it to /s. The setup program's command line has many other options that control how it works. For more information about them, see Deploy.chm in Deploy.cab in the Support \Tools folder of the Windows XP CD. The following sample commands run the setup program from \\camelot\wxppro: net use w: \\camelot\wxppro w:\i386\winnt /s:w:\i386 /u:w:\winnt.sif Setup Manager You can use Setup Manager to create answer files for unattended Windows XP installations, automated installations using Sysprep, or automated installations using Remote Installation Service. Setup Manager is on the Windows XP CD in the Deploy.cab file of the Support\Tools folder. Setup Manager is a wizard that helps you create and modify answer files by prompting for the information required to create answer files. Setup Manager can create new answer files, import existing answer files, and create new answer files based on a computer's current configuration. The last option is useful when you want to configure network settings in an answer file and you don't understand all the settings available or you don't want to risk errors, which are likely considering how complex these sections are sometimes. To install and run Setup Manager, double-click Deploy.cab in the Windows XP CD's Support\Tools folder, and then copy the cabinet file's contents to a folder on your disk and double-click Setupmgr.exe to run Setup Manager, as shown in Figure 12-2. The result of the wizard is an answer file. Table 12-1 describes Setup Manager's different pages, in the order you see them. Table 12-1: Setup Manager Pages Page Description Set User Interaction Use this page to set the level of user interaction during the setup process. Select Provide Defaults to display the configurable values supplied in the answer file, or select Fully Automated to create a setup process that requires no user interaction. Customize the Software Use this page to specify an organization and user name. Display Settings Use this page to configure the display color depth, screen resolution, and refresh frequency display settings. I prefer to allow Windows XP to automatically adjust these settings to the best available, and you should generally avoid setting a refresh frequency if you're not 100 percent sure that all the monitors in use by your organization can support that frequency. Generally, 70 is a safe bet, and LCD monitors perform best with 60. Time Zone Use this page to set the time zone. 258 Providing the Product Key Use this page to specify a product key, which is required for a fully automated installation. Computer Names Use this page to tell Setup Manager to generate a Uniqueness Database File (UDF) that the setup program will use to give each computer a unique name. If you import names from a text file, Setup Manager converts them into a UDF file. You can also set an option to generate unique computer names. Administrator Password Use this page to tell Setup Manager to encrypt the local administrator password in the answer file so that users can't gain unauthorized access to the local administrator account. You can also configure the answer file to prompt users for the local administrator password during installation. If the Administrator Password box is blank, you can use the AutoLogon feature to automatically log on to the client computer as an administrator. For more information about using the AutoLogon feature with [GuiRunOnce] to deploy user settings with Windows XP, see "[GuiRunOnce]," later in this chapter. Networking Components Use this page to configure any network setting in Setup Manager that you can configure on the desktop. The interface for setting network settings in Setup Manager is the same as you see in Windows XP. Workgroup or Domain Use this page to join computers to a domain or workgroup. You can also automatically create accounts in the domain. Telephony Use this page to set telephony properties, such as area codes and dialing rules. Regional Settings Use this page to set regional options, such as date, time, and currency formats. Languages Use this page to add support for other language groups. Browser and Shell Settings Use this page to configure Internet connections, including proxy server settings. If you need to customize the browser, you can use Setup Manager to access the Internet Explorer Administration Kit (IEAK), available from http://www.microsoft.com, and the Office XP Resource Kit toolbox at http://www.microsoft.com/office/ork. Installation Folder Use this page to specify the default Windows folder, generate a unique folder during setup, or install Windows XP in a custom folder. For example, if you plan to keep Microsoft Windows 2000 in parts of your company or are upgrading to Windows XP from Windows 2000, you can move Windows XP from the Windows folder to the Winnt folder so that you have a consistent folder structure throughout the organization. Install Printers Use this page to install printers as part of the installation process. Run Once Use this page to add commands that run automatically the first time a user logs on to the computer. Setup Manager adds these commands to the answer file's [GuiRunOnce] section. For example, you can fire off Microsoft Office XP's setup program from here. For more information about using this feature to deploy user settings, see "GuiRunOnce," later in this chapter. Additional Commands Use this page to add commands that run at the end of the setup process and before users log on to the system, such as starting a 259 setup program or adding user settings. For more information, see "Cmdlines.txt," later in this chapter. Figure 12-2: Windows XP's Setup Manager is greatly improved over Windows 2000's version. Most of the changes are in its user interface, but encrypting the local administrator password is a new feature. Notepad and Other Text Editors Even with all of Setup Manager's features, I prefer to create answer files manually. Now, before you think I'm silly and just making work for myself, let me add that I have a library of answer-file templates that I call on when required. After you've created your first answer file and you've got it just right, you can reuse it over and over again because little changes from job to job. I've got another surprise for you that I'm holding onto until you get to the end of this section. You can use a text editor, Notepad for example, to create answer files. They look just like INI files; both have sections and their sections contain settings. You don't have to use all the sections or values available in the answer file if you don't need them. In fact, a typical answer file for a computer that you're joining to a Microsoft-based network is only about 20 lines long. If you add errors to an answer file, the setup program reports the line number containing the syntax error. The answer file in Listing 12-2 is one that I use frequently. Notice that I've commented out the AdminPassword and FullName values by preceding them with a semicolon (;), so the setup program prompts the user for both values. You must provide your own product key for this sample (wink). Also notice that I don't use the [Display] section in this answer file, but Windows XP automatically optimizes the display settings when the user logs on to the computer. Last, I've commented out the DomainAdmin and DomainAdminPassword values in this answer file so the setup program will prompt the user for the credentials necessary to join the domain. I do this to avoid putting my domain administrator's credentials in an answer file. This isn't a problem, though, because I delegate ownership of each computer object to users so they can use their own account to join their own computers to the domain. Listing 12-2: Unattend.txt [Unattended] FileSystem=ConvertNTFS OemPreinstall=Yes 260 [GuiUnattended] ; AdminPassword= OEMSkipRegional=1 OEMSkipWelcome=1 ProfilesDir=%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Profiles TimeZone=020 [UserData] ComputerName=* ; FullName= OrgName="Jerry Honeycutt" ProductID="Your Product ID" [TapiLocation] AreaCode=972 CountryCode=1 Dialing=Tone [Identification] ; DomainAdmin= ; DomainAdminPassword= JoinDomain=HONEYCUTT [Networking] InstallDefaultComponents=Yes ;end This answer file is just one example. I built this answer file to do a clean installation of Windows XP from MS-DOS. I also have answer files that upgrade Windows 2000 to Windows XP. I have answer files that build disk images for deployment. I have still other answer files for deploying Windows XP through Remote Installation Services, building lab computers, installing Windows XP on mobile computers, installing Windows XP on Novell networks, and so on. Jerry's Answer File Editor Here's the surprise I promised. I don't use Notepad to edit answer files. I use Microsoft Word 2002. Here's why: Word includes built-in version control, enabling me to manage the different versions of an answer file over time. I can refer back to an earlier version of an answer file to see what I've changed. • Word includes revision tracking, which enables me to see the changes I've made to the current version of my answer file. This is a great feature for documenting answer files as well as sending answer files out for review. • Word enables reviewers to comment on answer files without actually changing them. This is another great feature for sending answer files out for review. • Word enables me to build custom dictionaries. I build custom dictionaries that include answer file section and value names, which ensures that I don't add errors to answer files with something as silly as a typo. • I'm willing to bet that these four features are enough to convince you to start using Word to edit answer files. Doing so will make you many times more productive as an IT professional. The 261 to a text file. Enjoy! Adding Settings to Unattend.txt Now you know how to build answer files and how to use them. It's time to get to the heart of the matter, which is how to deploy user settings with your answer file. To deploy settings with Windows XP, you need a mechanism for running a program during the setup process. Windows XP's setup program provides two different mechanisms, but first, think of all the different ways to add settings to the registry (and this is only a partial list): REG files. For more information about creating REG files, see Chapter 2, "Using the Registry Editor," and Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes." You import a REG file using the command regedit filename.reg /s. • INF files. For more information about building and installing INF files, see Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes." You install an INF file by running the command rundll32.exe setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 132 filename.inf. • Scripts. For more information about writing scripts for Windows Scripting Host, see Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes." You run a script using the command wscriptfilename.ext, where ext is either vbs or js. • OPS files. For more information about creating and installing OPS files, see Chapter 14, "Deploying Office XP Settings." You import an OPS file into the user's profile using the command proflwiz /r filename.ops /q. • Console Registry Tool for Windows (Reg). For more information about using Reg to edit the registry, see Chapter 2, "Using the Registry Editor," and Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes." Reg has a robust command-line interface that enables you to edit the registry using batch files. • Windows Installer package files (MSI files). For more information about package files, see Chapter 11, "Mapping Windows Installer." To learn how to build MSI files that install registry settings, see Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes." • Now that I've reminded you of the many tools and commands that I describe in this book for installing registry settings, see the following two sections, "[GuiRunOnce]" and "Cmdlines.txt," to learn how to deploy those commands with Windows XP. [GuiRunOnce] The [GuiRunOnce] section contains a list of commands that run the first time a user logs on to the computer after the Windows XP setup program runs. Enclose each command in quotation marks. The commands in the [GuiRunOnce] section run in the context of the console user, so you must ensure that the user has the privileges necessary to run each command. You can use this feature to install a REG file when a user logs on to the computer. For example, add the following lines to your answer file to import Settings.reg into the registry the first time a user logs on to the computer: [GuiRunOnce] "regedit %SYSTEMROOT%\Settings.reg /s" You must provide any programs and data files that you want to use, though, and you do that by deploying them through the $OEM$ distribution folders that you learned about in "Creating 262 %SYSTEMROOT% on the target computer. Also, you want to make sure that a program from [GuiRunOnce] has a command-line option to run quietly; you don't want to display interface while installing registry settings. All the commands I listed in the section "Adding to Unattend.txt" include the command-line option to run without displaying a user interface. Another method of deploying settings is running Profile Wizard from the Office XP Resource Add the following lines to your answer file. You must also make sure that the Windows program copies Proflwiz.exe and Settings.ops to the target computer. In this case, I put i386\$OEM$\$$: [GuiRunOnce] "%SYSTEMROOT%\Proflwiz.exe /r %SYSTEMROOT%\Settings.ops /q" Here are three things you should consider when using [GuiRunOnce]: From [GuiRunOnce] you can't run programs that force Windows XP to restart. because Windows XP loses any entries remaining in [GuiRunOnce] when it restarts, those command will not run. If you can't prevent the program from restarting the try repackaging it as a Windows Installer package file or add it as the last command [GuiRunOnce]. This isn't an issue for any of the commands I've given you that settings. • Any program that relies on Windows Explorer will not work properly because Explorer is not running when the commands in the [GuiRunOnce] section are. can consider repackaging these applications. • If you're trying to install Windows Installer package files from [GuiRunOnce], you the /wait command-line option to ensure that two packages don't try to install at time. Otherwise, both packages fail. This is an issue only when installing Windows packages using Setup.exe, however, because Setup.exe launches Windows Installer then returns, allowing the next package to begin installing immediately. If Windows Installer packages using Msiexec (the Windows Installer command-line instead, this problem isn't an issue. Tip The commands in the [GuiRunOnce] section run asynchronously, means that they could potentially all run at the same time. If you'd run commands synchronously—one at a time—create a batch runs the program using the Start command's /wait commandThe syntax is Start /wait program, where program is the path and the program file. The /wait command-line option prevents program from returning control to the batch file until program Then run this batch file from [GuiRunOnce]. • Cmdlines.txt The file Cmdlines.txt contains commands that the GUI-mode portion of the setup program when installing optional components, including applications the setup program must immediately after installing Windows XP. The commands in Cmdlines.txt run as a system so they run with elevated privileges. You put Cmdlines.txt in the $OEM$ subfolder of the XP distribution folder. You put the same kinds of commands in Cmdlines.txt that you'd [GuiRunOnce]. You also have to use the $OEM$ folder to copy data files, such as REG files, and scripts, to the target computer. 263 contains spaces. Here's a sample that imports a REG file called Settings.reg and installs called Config.inf, assuming that I added both files to $OEM$\$$ in the distribution folder: [Commands] "regedit.exe %SYSTEMROOT%\Settings.reg /s" "rundll32.exe setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 132"\ "%SYSTEMROOT%\Config.inf" Using Cmdlines.txt is different than [GuiRunOnce] in some important aspects, though: You must create the $OEM$ distribution folders, and you must set OEMPreinstall= your answer file. • When the setup program runs the command in Cmdlines.txt, no user is logged Windows XP, and for that matter, no network connection is guaranteed. As Windows XP stores settings in the default user hive file so all users receive settings. • You can't install Windows Installer packages using Cmdlines.txt. • Logging On Automatically After Installation If you're using the [GuiRunOnce] section to deploy settings or run programs after installing XP, you'll want to automatically log on to the operating system immediately after installation finished. On top of that, you'll likely want to log on as local Administrator to install applications require elevated privileges or change settings in HKLM that restricted users can't change. use the AutoLogon setting in the [GuiUnattended] section of your answer file. Set AutoLogon= ThissetsthevalueAutoAdminLogoninth HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WinLogon, which you learn about in 15, "Working Around IT Problems." You must also set AutoLogonCount in the [GuiUnattended] section. This setting specifies number of times you want to automatically log on to Windows XP as local Administrator. thevalueAutoLogonCountinthe HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WinLogon. Normally, you'd log on to XP only one time by setting AutoLogonCount=1. However, you can log on to the operating as many times as necessary, such as when a setup programs restarts the computer in the the installation process. The following lines show you the settings necessary to use this feature: [GuiUnattended] AutoLogon=Yes AutoLogonCount=1 [GuiRunOnce] "regedit %SYSTEMROOT%\Settings.reg /s" When you set a password using the AdminPassword setting in the [GuiUnattended] Windows XP uses that password to log the local Administrator on to it. However, if you encrypt password and set EncryptedAdminPassword=Yes, Windows XP disables this feature. It's between security and deployment convenience. Don't panic, though; when Windows XP installing, it removes the password from any local copies of the answer file, %SYSTEMROOT%\System32\$winnt$.sif. 264 Overview Disk imaging entails taking a snapshot of a computer's configuration, which includes Windows XP and applications such as those in Microsoft Office XP, and then deploying snapshot to other computers in the organization. It's essentially like installing Windows computer's hard disk and then copying that hard disk to other computers. Use disk deploy clean Windows XP installations in large organizations when hundreds of computers the same configuration. Disk imaging is more effective when organizations have standard configurations, but with a tweak here and there, it is a method that can be used in companies tend to purchase the computer du jour. Even though I say that disk imaging is for large organizations, I use it in my small 10-PC more convenient and much quicker to install Windows XP from a disk image than by setup program from scratch. This is a major productivity boost for me because I install Windows a dozen times a week. Disk imaging has two personalities: good and bad (no ugly). First the good: Disk imaging fastest way to deploy Windows XP. Rather than installing the operating system from the can take up to 45 minutes, a disk image installs in less than 10 minutes. And with multicasting technologies, you can deploy disk images to many computers at the same time. Possibly biggest benefit of disk imaging is that you can include third-party applications and custom to standardize desktop computers throughout the enterprise, and you do all that without user interaction. Now for the bad: You can't use disk imaging to upgrade from an earlier Windows because you're replacing the hard disk's contents. That means users' documents, settings, and applications are lost unless you use the User State Migration Tool that's Windows XP CD. Also, disk imaging requires somewhat compatible sample and target configurations, although you can mitigate this issue a bit using the techniques you learn chapter. An additional concern is that multicasting can bring a network to its knees, so manage the rollout so that it doesn't affect the productivity of users. The last problem deploying disk images to remote computers is difficult—but it's not impossible if you images on CDs. The benefits of disk imaging far outweigh the potential problems, particularly in large Disk imaging got better with Windows XP than it was with Microsoft Windows 2000; new XP disk-imaging tools significantly reduce the number of disk images that you maintain Microsoft's Web site is full of case studies of companies that have reduced their image percent. One company reduced its image count from 50 with Windows 2000 to one with XP. That's impressive! This chapter shows you how to reap those benefits for yourself. introduce you to disk imaging, I'll focus on how the registry fits in to the disk imaging process. Cloning Windows XP The best way to understand disk imaging is to walk through the entire process; you'll about this process later in this chapter, though (see Figure 13-1 as you're working through steps): Install Windows XP on the sample computer. 1. 266 your disk images after fixing problems. Do not join the computer to a domain; workgroup. Log on to the computer as Administrator, and do any of the following: Install and customize each application you want to include in the disk example, install Office XP. As a rule, don't customize per-user settings image; save those for a network-based default user profile (see Chapter "Deploying User Profiles"). → Install any third-party device drivers that are not included in Drivers.cab, which Microsoft distributes the Windows XP device drivers, and that you your distribution folders. → 2. Customize the %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Sysprep folder. Copy Sysprep.exe and Setupcl.exe to this folder. Also, copy the Sysprep.inf file, build ahead of time. Sysprep.inf automates Mini-Setup Wizard, a stripped-down the full setup program that runs when users start a computer to which you've deployed disk image. I'll tell you where to get these files in the next section. 3. Run Sysprep.exe, select the Mini-Setup check box, and then click Reseal. If the computer is ACPI-compliant, Sysprep automatically shuts down the PC; turn off the computer when you see a message that says it's safe to shut computer. 4. Clone the disk to an image file. 5. Figure 13-1: Using disk imaging, you deploy the contents of a sample computer's hard disk other computers' hard disks. It's an effective way to deploy many desktops. After you deploy the disk image to users' computers and they turn them on, Mini-Setup starts. First the wizard detects the computers' Plug and Play devices. Then the wizard users to accept the license agreement, type their name and organization, join a workgroup, specify regional options, configure TAPI, and choose the networking protocols services to install. The wizard can skip some or all of these settings if you configure Sysprep.inf. Last, Mini-Setup Wizard removes %SYSTEMDRIVE% \Sysprep and computer. The whole process takes less than five minutes. Before we move on to actual techniques, I'm going to introduce you to the tools necessary the job. You'll find everything you need for preparing disk images on Windows XP's following sections describe these tools, their limitations, and a list of third-party disk imaging to evaluate. (Third-party tools are necessary to duplicate disk images after you prepare 267 Disk imaging has two phases: preparing the disk image and cloning the disk image. All the need for preparing a disk image are on the Windows XP CD in the Deploy.cab file. This Support\Tools folder; extract its contents by opening the file in Windows Explorer. The disk tools in Deploy.cab include: Sysprep.exe. Prepares the disk for duplication by configuring Windows Setupcl.exe runs the next time it starts. • Setupcl.exe. Regenerates the computer's security identifier (SID) because every on the network must have a unique SID. It also starts Mini-Setup Wizard to Windows XP on the computer. • Sysprep.inf. Automates Mini-Setup Wizard by providing settings for users. • The tools are a given, but I'm jazzed about the documentation in the file Deploy.cab— improvement over the deployment documentation for Windows 2000. First Ref.chm describes to build answer files and includes a reference that describes all the settings you can use. Deploy.chm describes how to use the disk imaging tools in Deploy.cab. It also contains reference for all the settings you can use in answer files. This is the resource from which going to learn the most about disk imaging. Sysprep Limitations Due to the nature of disk imaging—copying a hard disk's image to other computers— Sysprep few requirements (call them limitations if you like): The sample and target computers must have the identical hardware abstraction (HALs). For example, a disk image created on a computer using a single processor not compatible with one that uses a multiprocessor HAL. • The sample and target computers must have compatible BIOS types. For example, image created on a computer with an ACPI BIOS is not compatible with a computer an APM BIOS. A disk image created using an APM BIOS is often compatible computer that has an ACPI BIOS, though. • The target computer's hard disk must be the same size or larger than the sample hard disk. If the target computer's hard disk is larger, you can set ExtendOEMPartition Sysprep.inf to extend the disk image to the end of the disk. The Sysprep.inf sample facing page shows an example of using this setting to extend a partition. • Sysprep only prepares the disk image; it doesn't clone the disk. Thus, to deploy image, you'll have to use a third-party disk imaging product. The sidebar "ThirdImaging Suites," on the facing page, gives you choices to evaluate. My preference Symantec Ghost, but there are many good products. • Windows XP's documentation also says that the mass-storage controllers (IDE, SCSI, and must be identical on the sample and target computers. This isn't so if you tell Sysprep about the mass-storage controllers you're anticipating. For more information, see the section "Reducing Image Count," later in this chapter. I've had good luck building images mass-storage controller and deploying to computers with completely different masscontrollers. The sample and target computers' remaining devices do not have to be the same. That Plug and Play devices, such as modems, sound cards, network cards, video adapters, and you anticipate devices for which Windows XP doesn't include native support (the device 268 come to market after Windows XP. Chapter 12, "Deploying with Answer Files," describes how to deploy third-party device drivers with Windows XP. TipOften, device drivers that you download from a vendor's Web site aren't suitable for deployment. They install from package files, so you can't easily extract the device driver files and then figure out which files are necessary and which aren't. You can almost always get the latest device drivers from Windows Update, though, and these device drivers are in a suitable format for deployment through an answer file and on a disk image. The trick is to use the Windows Update Catalog. In Internet Explorer, click Tools, Windows Update. In the Web page's left pane, click Personalize Windows Update. In the right pane, select Display The Link To The Windows Update Catalog under See Also, and click Save Settings. Now you'll see the Windows Update Catalog link in left pane of the Windows Update Web site, and you can search for and download device drivers that are packaged and ready for deployment. Third-Party Disk Imaging Suites Sysprep only prepares disks for duplication; it doesn't clone them. Thus, you're going to need a third-party tool to deploy disk images. A small selection of the tools with which I'm familiar includes the following: Symantec Ghost. http://www.symantec.com • Altiris eXpress 5. http://www.altiris.com • Phoenix ImageCast. http://www.it-infusion.com • PowerQuest DeployCenter. http://www.powerquest.com • Symantec Ghost is at the top of the list because it's the tool that I know best and the one I use most often. It's a robust disk imaging tool that does much more than just clone disk images. For example, you can deploy a disk image to a remote computer without ever getting up from your desk. You can use it to manage configurations, too, not just disk images. When I talk to administrators around the world, this is the tool that 90 percent of them use, whereas the other tools tend to have a small but loyal following. Regardless, the disk imaging process is roughly the same with all these tools, and most of them are high quality. Building a Disk Image You got the overview earlier in this chapter. Now it's time for some detail. The first step is to configure a sample computer, and you start the ball rolling by installing Windows XP. Don't just drop the Windows XP CD in the drive and install the operating system manually, however. If you find an error in your disk image, you're likely to repeat it or introduce different errors because you're using a manual process. (Picture playing Whack-a-Mole.) Instead, install Windows XP from a fully customized distribution folder. Chapter 12, "Deploying with Answer Files," describes how to customize the distribution folders so that Windows XP installs without any user interaction. Just make sure that your answer file joins a workgroup and not a domain because Sysprep will remove the computer from the domain anyway and you don't want the extra junk in the registry. Next install the applications you want to include in your disk image. Include only applications that you want to install on every computer to which you deploy the disk image. For example, include 269 applications manually for the same reasons that I don't like to install Windows XP regression testing. Instead, install Windows Installer-based applications from fully customized administrative installations. Install other applications using any quiet mode switches they consider repackaging them as Windows Installer packages, which you can install interaction. After you automate each application's installation, you can easily install each Windows XP answer file. Tip Whether it's superstition or has some basis in fact, I usually build custom for the express purpose of building disk images. I use the most generic can find and I leave out any unnecessary devices (sound cards, and thinking, and what I want to pass on to you, is that by using generic hardware, a better chance of producing a disk image that works on many configurations. The goal, of course, is to manage fewer disk images. Customizing Mini-Setup Sysprep.inf automates Mini-Setup Wizard. In other words, the wizard avoids prompting settings that you provide in Sysprep.inf. If your goal is a 100-percent automated installation, want to create a robust Sysprep.inf. Completely automating Mini-Setup Wizard can be three cases, though: User name. You can provide a user name, such as Valued Microsoft Employee Sysprep.inf, or you can allow the wizard to prompt users for their names. • Computer name. This is the toughest of all to automate. You can accept the computer names that Mini-Setup Wizard generates when you set ComputerName=* Sysprep.inf, or you can allow the wizard to prompt users for a computer name. This the reasons that many organizations send technicians to desktops to install Windows Alternatively, you can accept the random computer name and then change the installation using scripts. The TechNet Script Center provides Windows Script Host for renaming computers and joining them to domains, and you can run these scripts Sysprep.inf. See Chapter 12, "Deploying with Answer Files," to learn how to run afterWindowsXPfinishesinstallation.TheScriptCen www.microsoft.com/technet//scriptcenter/default.asp. • Joining a domain. To automatically join a domain, you must provide domain administrator credentials in your answer file. But, grrrr, they are plain text. (Documentation that can encrypt the domain Administrator password is inaccurate.) One solution is domain account with just enough rights and permissions to join computers to and then use those credentials in the answer file. Otherwise, you can delegate ownership computers to users so that they can join their own computers to the domain. You use the scripts from the TechNet Script Center to automatically join computers after Windows XP finishes installing. • The remaining settings in a typical Sysprep.inf file will be easy to understand because learned about answer files in Chapter 12, "Deploying with Answer Files." The ultimate reference Ref.chm in Deploy.cab, however. Microsoft's documentation is full of sample answer Listing 13-1 on the next page shows you one that I typically use. A few notes about this listing: ExtendOemPartition causes Mini-Setup Wizard to extend the partition to the end which is necessary if the target computer's hard disk is bigger than that of computer. • 270 OemPnPDriversPath tells Mini-Setup Wizard where to find third-party device drivers that I've included in the disk image (helps reduce image count). • ComputerName and Username are missing from this Sysprep.inf file, so Mini-Setup Wizard prompts users for both values. • DomainAdmin and DomainAdminPassword are absent from this Sysprep.inf file, so Mini-Setup Wizard prompts users for the credentials necessary to join the computer to the domain. • [Sysprep] and [SysprepMassStorage] help to reduce the number of disk images you must maintain. I discuss both these sections in "Reducing Image Count," later in this chapter. • Listing 13-1: Sysprep.inf [Unattended] ExtendOemPartition=1 InstallFilesPath=\Sysprep\i386 OemPnPDriversPath=\Windows\Drivers OemPreinstall=Yes OemSkipEula=Yes [GuiUnattended] OemSkipRegional=1 OemSkipWelcome=1 TimeZone=020 [UserData] OrgName="Jerry Honeycutt" ProductID=#####-#####-#####-#####-##### [TapiLocation] AreaCode=972 CountryCode=1 Dialing=Tone [Identification] JoinDomain=HONEYCUTT [Networking] InstallDefaultComponents=Yes [Sysprep] BuildMassStorageSection=Yes [SysprepMassStorage] ;end The easiest way to build your own Sysprep.inf file is to use a template and then edit it in Notepad. You can use the previous listing with very little modification. If you prefer, you can use Setup Manager. Chapter 12, "Deploying with Answer Files," introduced Setup Manager to you. There are a few more settings available to you in Setup Manager that this listing doesn't show, such as installing printers; thus, you might build a Sysprep.inf file using Setup Manager and then use that as your template for future jobs. NoteChapter 12, "Deploying with Answer Files," describes how to deploy settings in an answer file. It shows how to use REG files, INF files, and so on from an answer file. You can use those 271 the registry. Because Chapter 12 covers these topics thoroughly, I won't duplicate Preparing for Duplication You're almost done; now you must prepare the sample computer's hard disk for duplication. surface, this is the easy part but, as I sometimes do, I'm going to throw a curveball. To duplication, create %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Sysprep and copy Sysprep.exe, Setupcl.exe, Sysprep.inf file you created to it. That's it—now for the curveball: Fully automated disk image production is the ideal. regression testing. If you can swing it (and you can with a good bit of work), you'll want your Windows XP answer file so that it runs Sysprep after it installs all the applications. Here's Create a Sysprep folder in the Windows XP distribution folder under $OEM$\$1 setup program creates %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Sysprep for you during installation. prevents you from having to interact with the disk image at all. 1. Add the following to the answer file you're using to build the disk image. This installs application. The placeholders setup1 and setup2 are the commands necessary applications you want to include on the disk image. If you prefer, you can run from the [GuiRunOnce] section, and install all the applications from that batch file. each setup program with no user interaction is preferable. This script quietly runs configured to use Mini-Setup Wizard, which prepares the disk for duplication: [GuiRunOnce] "setup1" "setup2" "%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Sysprep\Sysprep.exe -mini -quiet -reseal -forceshutdown" 2. Add the following to the answer file you're using to build the disk image. This automatically logs the local Administrator on to Windows XP to run the programs in [GuiRunOnce] AutoLogonCount to the number of times you need to log on to Windows XP to complete installation process in [GuiRunOnce]): [GuiUnattended] AutoLogon=Yes AutoLogonCount=1 3. In the answer file you're using to install Windows XP on the sample computer, local Administrator password null: AdminPassword=*. Doing so ensures that you the local Administrator password in Sysprep.inf. 4. Cloning the Disk Image The last step is to run Sysprep and clone the disk to an image file. If you're fully automating image production, this occurs automatically. Otherwise, run Sysprep manually. The following describe how to run Sysprep so that it prepares the disk for duplication and configures automate Mini-Setup Wizard: Run %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Sysprep.exe. You see the Sysprep window shown in Figure 13-2. 1. 272 Figure 13-2: Earlier versions of Sysprep had no user interface, so this look and feel is truly new. Select the MiniSetup check box. This causes Sysprep to use Mini-Setup Wizard as the first-run experience instead of Windows Welcome, which is the default. Mini-Setup Wizard is the first-run experience that you customize with Sysprep.inf. 2. Optionally, select the PnP check box. Do this only if you want Mini-Setup Wizard to detect legacy devices during hardware detection, which adds about 10 minutes to the installation process. 3. Click Reseal to prepare the disk for duplication, and shut down the computer. 4. I'm not a fan of graphical user interfaces when there is a perfectly good command I can type at the MS-DOS command prompt. As a result, I almost always use Sysprep's command-line options instead: sysprep {[-clean] | [-activated] [-audit] [-factory] [-forceshutdown] [-mini] [-noreboot] [-nosidgen] [-pnp] [-quiet] [-reboot] [-reseal]} -activated Does not reset the grace period for Windows Product Activation. Use this option only if you have activated Windows XP in Factory mode. The product key you use to activate Windows XP must match the product key located on the COA sticker attached to that particular computer. -audit Reboots the computer into Factory mode without generating new SIDs or processing any items in the [OEMRunOnce] section of Winbom.ini. Use this command-line option only if the computer is already in Factory mode. -clean Clears the critical devices database used by the [SysprepMassStorage] section in Sysprep.inf. You learn about this setting in the section titled, "Reducing Image Count," later in this chapter. -factory Restarts in a network-enabled state without displaying Windows Welcome or Mini-Setup Wizard. This option is useful for updating drivers, running Plug and Play enumeration, installing applications, testing, configuring the computer with 273 customer data, and making other configuration changes in your factory environment. For companies that use disk imaging, Factory mode can reduce the number of images required. When you have finished your desired set of tasks in Factory mode, run Sysprep with the -reseal option selected to prepare the computer for end-user delivery. -forceshutdown Shuts down the computer after Sysprep is complete. Use this option with a computer that has ACPI BIOS and that does not shut down properly with Sysprep's default behavior. -mini Configures Windows XP Professional to use Mini-Setup Wizard rather than Windows Welcome. This option has no effect on Windows XP Home Edition, in which the first-run experience is always Windows Welcome. -noreboot Modifies registry keys (SID, OemDuplicatorString, and so on) without the system rebooting or preparing for duplication. This option is used mainly for testing, specifically to see if the registry is modified properly. This option is not recommended because making changes to a computer after Sysprep has run can invalidate the preparation done by Sysprep. Do not use this option in a production environment. -nosidgen Runs Sysprep without generating new SIDs. You must use this option if you are not duplicating the computer on which you are running Sysprep or if you are pre-installing domain controllers. -pnp Runs the full Plug and Play device enumeration and installation during Mini-Setup Wizard. This command-line option has no effect if the first-run experience is Windows Welcome. Use -pnp only when you need to detect and install legacy, non-Plug and Play devices. Do not use sysprep -pnp on computer systems that use only Plug and Play devices. If you do, you will increase the time required for the first-run experience without providing any additional benefit to the user. -quiet Runs Sysprep without displaying onscreen confirmation messages. This is useful if you are automating Sysprep. Select this option if you plan to run Sysprep immediately following installation, for example. -reboot Forces the computer to automatically reboot and then start Windows Welcome, Mini-Setup Wizard, or Factory mode. This is useful when you want to audit the system and verify that the first-run experience is operating correctly. -reseal Clears the Event Viewer logs and prepares the computer for delivery to the customer. Windows Welcome or Mini-Setup Wizard is set to start at the next boot. If you run the command sysprep -factory, you must seal the installation as the last step in your pre-installation process, either by running the command sysprep -reseal or by clicking Reseal in the Sysprep window. After you've prepared the disk for duplication, use your third-party disk imaging product to clone the disk to an image file. For example, with Symantec Ghost, the product I know and love, you run the Ghost Multicast client on the sample computer to transfer the disk image to the Ghost Multicast server on another computer. This is the simplistic way to clone a disk image, though. The product gets more complicated when you configure disk images so that you can deploy them remotely. In the case of Symantec Ghost, you use the Ghost Enterprise Console to manage and deploy images. For more information, see your vendor's documentation. Tip Sysprep doesn't always shut down the computer properly. Sometimes it just reboots the computer. If Mini-Setup Wizard starts, however, you can't use the image. To prevent a surprise reboot, stick a blank floppy disk in drive A before running Sysprep so if the computer does restart, the computer will boot from the floppy disk and Mini-Setup Wizard won't run. 274 I'm getting to the meat in this section: how to reduce the number of images that you manage, how the registry fits into that process. To reduce image count, you have to make sure that XP starts on each hardware configuration because Windows XP must start before Wizard can. Without additional effort on your part, this isn't always possible. Windows knows about the devices installed on the sample computer, and if the target computer has boot hardware (mass-storage controllers and system devices), it won't start. The secret is to tell Windows XP about the other boot hardware you expect it to encounter you deploy the operating system. I'll show you the hard way first, which is to manually customize Sysprep.inf file's [SysprepMassStorage] section, and then I'll show you the easy way, allow Sysprep to build this section for you automatically. The manual method is what you Windows 2000, and you must use it with Windows XP if the operating system doesn't include support for all the boot hardware in your organization. In either case, customizing [SysprepMassStorage] allows for the following combinations: IDE to IDE. The sample computer uses a different IDE controller than the target computers. • IDE to SCSI. The sample computer uses an IDE controller, and the target computers SCSI controllers. • SCSI to SCSI. The sample computer uses a different SCSI controller than computers. • SCSI to IDE. The sample computer uses a SCSI controller, and the target computers IDE controllers. • Note When deploying disk images to computers that use SCSI controllers, the target hard disks must support the extended INT13 BIOS functions. They must be able to a Boot.ini file that uses the multi() syntax in lieu of the scsi() or signature() syntax. the use of the multi() syntax, add AddBiosToBoot to your answer file. Filling SysprepMassStorage Manually To fill the [SysprepMassStorage] section, you need to dig up the Plug and Play ID for device on the target computers. There's a few ways to get this ID. One is to look for it in that come with Windows XP. Search %SYSTEMROOT%\Inf for the name of the device, INF file that you find, and record the device's ID as well as the name of the INF file in found it. For example, if I'm deploying a disk image to computers that have the Intel 82801BA Master IDE Controller, I'd look in Mshdc.inf to get its Plug and Play ID, PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_244A. All your hits will be in Machine.inf, Scsi.inf, Pnpscsi.inf, and After you've identified boot devices, add them to your Sysprep.inf file in the [SysprepMassStorage] section. The following listing shows the format. PNPID is the device's Plug and Play ID, the path and file name of the INF file that contains the Plug and Play ID of the device. [SysprepMassStorage] PNPID = INF Here's an excerpt from a Sysprep.inf file that I used recently: [SysprepMassStorage] Primary_IDE_Channel=%SYSTEMROOT%\Inf\Mshdc.inf Secondary_IDE_Channel=%SYSTEMROOT%\Inf\Mshdc.inf PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1222=%SYSTEMROOT%\Inf\Mshdc.inf PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1230=%SYSTEMROOT%\Inf\Mshdc.inf 275 PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2421=%SYSTEMROOT%\Inf\Mshdc.inf PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2441=%SYSTEMROOT%\Inf\Mshdc.inf PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_244A=%SYSTEMROOT%\Inf\Mshdc.inf If Windows XP doesn't provide native support for a boot device, you use a different format. copy the device driver's files to a folder on the disk image. The easiest way is to add Windows XP distribution folder $OEM$\$$\Drivers so that the setup program automatically them to %SYSTEMROOT%\Drivers on the sample computer. Then add lines [SysprepMassStorage] section that look like the following listing. PNPID is the Plug and the device. INF is the path and file name of the INF file that contains the Plug and Play %SYSTEMROOT%\Drivers\ Filename.inf. DIR is the name of the directory on the floppy contains the device driver. DESC is a description of the disk as specified in the Txtsetup. and TAG is the disk tag as specified in the Txtsetup.oem file. The last three items are optional. PNPID = INF[, DIR[, DESC[, TAG]]] Filling SysprepMassStorage Automatically New for Windows XP is the ability to automatically build the Sysprep.inf file's [SysprepMassStorage] section. By adding the lines that you see in the following listing to your Sysprep.inf file, extracts all the Plug and Play IDs from Machine.inf, Scsi.inf, Pnpscsi.inf, and Mshdc.inf the appropriate entries. Make sure that you leave the [SysprepMassStorage] section double-check your spelling of BuildMassStorageSection. (I've spent hours troubleshooting which I misspelled the name of this setting.) [Sysprep] BuildMassStorageSection=Yes [SysprepMassStorage] Note When you build the [SysprepMassStorage] section automatically, takes much longer to run. Rather than shutting down the computer seconds, which is Sysprep's typical behavior, Sysprep grinds away 15 minutes while it builds this section. Be patient as long as you see activity and a spinning hourglass. Reducing image count is worth the Cleaning Up After Sysprep You're not finished yet. Sysprep adds the devices in the [SysprepMassStorage] section XP'scriticaldevice'sdatabase.Thisdatabaseisinthereg HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase. Each subkey corresponds device you added to [SysprepMassStorage] and contains a link to the actual device driver registry. Windows XP tries to start each device in the database every time it boots. The that this increases boot time significantly—something you don't want to inflict on users. Don't I always have a solution? On each target computer, run sysprep.exe -clean command disables all the devices that Windows XP didn't find when it started. The next operating system starts, it doesn't try to start device drivers for those devices that it didn't trick is when to run this command. You don't do it when you build the image. Instead, command during Mini-Setup Wizard. Add the command to the Cmdlines.txt file that you %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Sysprep\i386\$OEM$. The file looks like this (make sure that InstallFilesPath pointstothefoldercontainingthe$OEM$folder,whichis 276 [Commands] "%SYSTEMDRIVE%\Sysprep\Sysprep.exe -clean -quiet" Mapping Sysprep Settings When you run Sysprep, it modifies hundreds if not thousands of registry settings to prepare the computer's hard disk for duplication. Table 13-1 on the next page describes the settings that relate directly to Sysprep. These are settings that prepare Mini-Setup Wizard to run the next time Windows XP starts. I tracked these down by comparing snapshots of the registry before and after running Sysprep. I divided this table into sections, with each key in a different section. Table 13-1: Sysprep Registry Settings Value Type Description HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Sysprep SidsGenerated REG_DWORD Sysprep sets this value to 0x01, indicating that it removed the computer's SID and Setupcl.exe will regenerate it. CriticalDevicesInstalled REG_DWORD Sysprep sets this value to 0x01, indicating that it created the critical devices database. HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup SourcePath REG_DWORD Sysprep sets this to the value of InstallFilesPath in Sysprep.inf, which indicates to the setup program where to find installation files. HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup\OOBE RunWelcomeProcess REG_DWORD Sysprep sets this value to 0x00, which disables the Windows Welcome out-of-box experience. HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa\Kerberos\SidCache MachineSid REG_BINARY Sysprep deletes this value to remove the computer's SID. HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager SetupExecute REG_MULTI_SZ Setup adds Setupcl.exe to this value. This runs Setupcl.exe when Windows XP restarts so that Setupcl.exe can regenerate the computer's SID and run Mini-Setup Wizard. HKLM\SYSTEM\Setup BootDiskSig REG_DWORD Sysprep stores the signature of the boot disk in this value. CloneTag REG_MULTI_SZ Sysprep stores the date and time that you ran the prepared disk in this value. Cmdline REG_SZ Sysprep stores the setup command line setup -newsetup -mini in this value. This is the command that runs Mini-Setup Wizard. MiniSetupInProgress REG_DWORD Sysprep sets this value to 0x01, indicating that Mini-Setup Wizard is in the process of running. 277 SetupType REG_DWORD Sysprep sets this value to 0x01. SystemSetupInProgress REG_DWORD Sysprep Sets this value to 0x01. Sysprep changes other settings that I don't describe in Table 13-1. The settings that it changes depend on the computer's configuration. For example, it disables Remote Desktop and Remote Assistance. It configures System Restore to create an initial system checkpoint the next time Windows XP starts. It also resets the computer's digital ID and resets the Windows Product Activation timer. Last, if you're using [SysprepMassStorage], Sysprep fills the critical devices database and configures the device drivers for each device. The changes that Sysprep makes to the registry are numerous, but the following list summarizes some of the most significant that I found while sniffing out the changes that it makes: Sysprepresetstheeventsystem.Thesesettingsarein HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\EventSystem. • Sysprepremovescertificatetemplatesandcertificatesfromt hekeys HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Cryptographyand HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\EnterpriseCertificates. • SysprepresetstheconfigurationofGroupPolicyinthekey HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Group Policy. • Sysprep removes the computer from the domain, if it's a domain member, by deleting the appropriate values from the keys HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon,HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft \Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\DomainCache, and elsewhere. • Sysprep removes policies from the key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies. • Sysprepremovesnetworkingcomponentsfromthekeys HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control,HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum, and HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services. • Sysprepresetstheapplicationcompatibilitydatain HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\AppCompatibility. • Sysprepresetspowermanagementsettingsinthekey HKLM\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Session Manager\Power. • Sysprep configures the Netlogon service to load on demand instead of automatically in HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Netlogon. • Sysprep adds the devices specified in [SysprepMassStorage] to the critical devices database.Thisdatabaseisinthekey HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CriticalDeviceDatabase. • Sysprep installs and configures device drivers for the devices listed in the [SysprepMassStorage] section. It configures these device drivers in the key HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services. • Keeping Perspective In this chapter, I've given you enough information to start testing Sysprep in your lab straightaway. Sysprep is even a great tool for those power users who install Windows XP over and over again. But I haven't told you enough about Sysprep for you to build an image and start blasting it at an enterprise's desktops. There's much more to Sysprep than just writing a few answer files and running Sysprep.exe. Considerations include everything from defining preferred configurations to licensing to whether you've configured your routers for multicast. Disk imaging is a part of an overall deployment plan, 278 disk imaging techniques. To learn more about these important resources, contact your account manager, who'd be happy to tell you about them. The ultimate resource deploymentinformationistheDesktopDeploymentResource C www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/officexp/deploy/default.asp. 279 Overview Microsoft Office XP is extremely flexible and highly customizable. Users can customize through its settings, custom templates, tools, and much more. For example, an department can create custom templates for expense reports, and IT professionals custom dictionaries that contain computer terminology and product names. Users can everything from how their toolbars look to the file formats for saving documents. Almost settings are in the registry. IT professionals can customize user settings and distribute standard Office XP configurations users. First install Office XP on a sample computer, and then customize the toolbars, templates, dictionaries, and any other options for each program. Run Profile Wizard profile settings file (OPS file) that contains all these settings. If you add the OPS file to (MST file), your customized settings are included when you install Office XP on client Custom Installation Wizard is the tool you use to build MST files. It enables you to settings directly in the MST file without an OPS file. You can also use it to set user options registry entries. Profile Wizard and Custom Installation Wizard are part of the Office XP Resource Kit, which find in the ORK folder on any Office XP Enterprise Edition CD. You can also download http://www.microsoft.com/office/ork. Because the resource kit's tools are covered comprehensively in the resource kit book, I won't go into detail about them. Instead, I'll focus on how to tools to deploy user settings, which are essentially registry settings. And if you're interested learning about specific Office XP settings, including Office XP policies, and where you the registry, see Part IV, "Appendices." Tip Most of the tools in the Office XP Resource Kit are useful for more than just deploying XP. For example, you can deploy settings for any program using Profile Wizard, and customize other Microsoft Windows Installer-based applications with Custom Wizard. For that matter, you can use Profile Wizard to customize Windows XP if you're frequent reinstallation. Profile Wizard Profile Wizard saves and restores Office XP user settings, which are in the Office XP users' profiles (see Chapter 10, "Deploying User Profiles"). When you run Profile Wizard user profile, you create an OPS file that you can use later to restore those settings. The Resource Kit installs Profile Wizard on the Start menu. Click Start, All Programs, Microsoft Tools, Microsoft Office XP Resource Kit Tools, and then click Profile Wizard. The program Proflwiz.exe is in C:\Program Files\ORKTools \ORK10\Tools. By default, Profile Wizard uses the file OPW10adm.ini to decide which settings and files in an OPS file. This file is essentially a big list of settings and files. This file also indicates settings and files will be purposely excluded from an OPS file. The default OPW10adm. Office XP; it nabs most Office XP settings from the registry and takes files from the folder. It excludes settings that shouldn't be deployed, like user names, lists of recently and so on. You can use Profile Wizard with the default OPW10adm.ini file to capture Office XP settings or you can customize it to capture and deploy any settings, including 280 The sections following this one describe how to capture settings, apply settings, and customize settings with Profile Wizard. The following list describes Profile Wizard's command-line options: proflwiz.exe [/a] [/u] [/q] [/e] [/p] [/f] [/i filename.ini] /s filename.ops | /r filename.ops z/a Starts the wizard in administrator mode (Profile Wizard). Uses the OPW10adm.ini file by default. This is the default setting if neither /a nor /u is on the command line. /u Starts the wizard in user mode (Save My Settings Wizard). Proflwiz.exe uses the OPW10usr.ini file if /u is present on the command line. OPW10usr.ini is available only with Office XP and not the Office XP Resource Kit. /q Runs the wizard in quiet mode. Runs the wizard quietly and displays no progress indicators or error messages. Use this option with either the /s or /r option but not the /p or /e option. You do not need to specify a mode of operation (/a or /u) when using the quiet mode option. /e Displays error messages. Displays only error messages and no progress indicators while the wizard is running. Use this option with either the /s or /r option but not with the /q option. /p Displays progress indicators. Displays only progress indicators and no error messages while the wizard is running. Use this option with either the /s or / r option, but not with the /q option. /f Displays a completion message at the end of the restore or save process. Use this option with either the /s or /r option but not with the /q option. The options /e, /p, and /f are additive. Including /e and /f in the command line displays only error messages and finish messages. /i filename.ini Specifies the INI file to use. Instructs Profile Wizard not to use the default INI file (OPW10adm.ini or OPW10usr.ini). Instead, it uses the INI file filename.ini to determine which settings and files to store in the OPS file. /s filename.ops Saves user configuration settings from the current computer to the OPS file filename.ops. The wizard displays progress indicators and error messages while it is running. /r filename.ops Restores the application settings from the specified OPS file filename.ops to the computer. The wizard displays progress indicators and error messages while it is running. Note Save My Settings Wizard in Office XP is based on Profile Wizard. It uses an INI file that saves and restores users' settings. That INI file is OPW10usr.ini. The OPS file that it creates includes personal settings and information, though, which makes it inappropriate for deployment to other users. Customizing the Wizard You do not need to edit Profile Wizard's INI file to include or exclude entire Office XP applications in your OPS file. On the wizard's Save Or Restore Settings page, select the check boxes next to the applications for which you want to save settings. If a setting in Office XP (or another program) that you want to capture isn't in OPW10adm.ini, you must customize OPW10adm.ini or build a new INI file to capture it in an OPS file. Edit OPW10adm.ini in Notepad or another text editor, and then add or delete references to settings and files that you want to include or exclude. You can also run Profile Wizard from the command line with no loss in functionality. Every option available in the wizard has a corresponding 281 Office XP, start with this file. If you're capturing user settings for Windows XP or another consider starting a new INI file using OPW10adm.ini as a reference. Make sure that your file contains the [Header] section shown in listing 14-1; otherwise, Profile Wizard won't let the settings defined in your INI file to an OPS file. Here's an overview of what each section [IncludeFolderTrees]. List the folder trees you want to include in the OPS Wizard captures all the subfolders and files in each tree. All entries in this section begin with one of the following tokens, which represent a subfolder in the user's folder: <AppData>, <Desktop>,<Favorites>, <NetHood>,<Personal>, <PrintHood>, <ProgramsMenu>, <RecentFiles>, <SendTo>,<StartMenu>, <StartupMenu>, <UserProfile>. • [IncludeIndividualFolders]. List individual folders you want to include in the OPS format is the same as [IncludeFolderTrees]. • [IncludeIndividualFiles]. List individual files you want to include in the OPS file. is the same as [IncludeFolderTrees]. • [ExcludeFiles]. List files you don't want to include in the OPS file. The format is the [IncludeFolderTrees] except that you can use wildcards to specify all files of a certain • FolderTreesToRemoveToResetToDefaults]. List the folder trees you want Profile to remove prior to restoring the settings in the OPS file. This essentially application. The format is the same as [IncludeFolderTrees]. • [IndividualFilesToRemoveToResetToDefaults]. List individual files you want Wizard to remove prior to restoring the settings in the OPS file. The format is the [IncludeFolderTrees]. • [ExcludeFilesToRemoveToResetToDefaults]. List the individual files you Profile Wizard to remove, regardless of where they exist in the profile folder. This youtokeepcertainfileswithinfoldersthatyou'reremoving [FolderTreesToRemoveToResetToDefaults]. You can use wildcards only character of the file name, and you cannot specify a path: *.doc. • [IncludeRegistryTrees]. List the registry branches you want to include in the Profile Wizard captures all the subkeys and values in each branch. Include one line. • [IncludeIndividualRegistryKeys]. List individual registry keys you want to include OPS file. • [IncludeIndividualRegistryValues]. List individual registry values you want to include OPS files. For the default value, use a trailing backslash: HKCU\Software\. include the value name in each line: HKCU\Software\Value. • [ExcludeRegistryTrees]. List the registry branches you want to exclude from the • [ExcludeIndividualRegistryKeys]. List the individual registry keys you want from the OPS file. • [ExcludeIndividualRegistryValues]. List the individual values you want to exclude OPS file. The format is the same as [IncludeIndividualRegistryValues]. • [RegistryTreesToRemoveToResetToDefaults]. List the registry branches you Wizard to remove prior to applying the OPS file. • [IndividualRegistryValuesToRemoveToResetToDefaults]. List individual values Profile Wizard to remove prior to applying the OPS file. The format is the [IncludeIndividualRegistryValues]. • [RegistryTreesToExcludeToResetToDefaults]. List the individual registry branches don't want Profile Wizard to remove when applying an OPS file. You cannot use ifyou'reembeddingtheOPSfileinaMSTfile.Thiso [RegistryTreesToRemoveToResetToDefaults]. • [RegistryKeysToExcludeToResetToDefaults]. List the individual registry keys • 282 [RegistryTreesToRemoveToResetToDefaults]. [RegistryValuesToExcludeToResetToDefaults]. List the individual values you don't want Profile Wizard to remove when applying the OPS file. You cannot use this section if you're embeddingtheOPSfileinaMSTfile.Thisoverrides [RegistryTreesToRemoveToResetToDefaults]. • Listing 14-1: OPW10adm.ini # Microsoft Office Save My Settings/Profile Wizard INI file # Edit this file to change which files and registry keys are included into # the OPS file, and/or to change what gets deleted when using the # 'Reset to defaults before restoring settings' option. # Syntax is documented in each section. # All include and exclude strings are case insensitive. # Comments are denoted with # at the beginning of the line. # At the end of a line is a '#' followed by one or more of the following # possible terminal symbols: # word, xl, access, ppt, ol, pub, fp, designer, common, all # Terminal symbols indicate which applications the line of settings belongs to. # "all" indicates settings to be saved for any application. # "common" indicates settings that are common among all applications. [Header] Version = 10.0 Product = Microsoft Office 10.0 # ************************** File/Folder Sections ***************************** [IncludeFolderTrees] # List folder trees to be included into the OPS file. # Syntax is one folder per line; no trailing backslash. # Includes all subfolders in specified tree. # Wildcards are not supported. # Entries must begin with one of the following Folder tokens: # <AppData>, <Desktop>, <Favorites>, <NetHood>, <Personal>, # <PrintHood>, <ProgramsMenu>, <RecentFiles>, <SendTo>, # <StartMenu>, <StartupMenu>, <UserProfile>. # Subfolder tokens of format <SubFolder_$$$$> can be embedded in lines # and are replaced at SAVE time by the registry data found in the $$$$ # value of HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Common\General. <AppData>\Microsoft\<SubFolder_AddIns> # xl word <AppData>\Microsoft\ClipGallery # ppt <AppData>\Microsoft\Excel # xl <AppData>\Microsoft\FrontPage # fp <AppData>\Microsoft\Graph # all <AppData>\Microsoft\Office # common <AppData>\Microsoft\Outlook # ol <AppData>\Microsoft\PowerPoint # ppt <AppData>\Microsoft\<SubFolder_Proof> # common all <AppData>\Microsoft\<SubFolder_Queries> # xl access <AppData>\Microsoft\<SubFolder_Signatures> # ol <AppData>\Microsoft\<SubFolder_Stationery> # ol <AppData>\Microsoft\<SubFolder_Templates> # word ppt xl <AppData>\Microsoft\<SubFolder_Themes> # ppt 283 # <AppData>\Microsoft\Shared\<SubFolder_Stationery> # ol # Use the following line for Web Server Locations: # <NetHood> # [IncludeIndividualFolders] # List individual folders to be included into the OPS file. # Syntax same as [IncludeFolderTrees] but does not include subfolders. # Wildcards are not supported. [IncludeIndividualFiles] # List individual files to be included into the OPS file. # Syntax is one path\filename per line. # Entries must begin with one of the Folder tokens listed under # [IncludeFolderTrees]. # Wildcards are not supported. # # Example for including Normal.dot: # <AppData>\Microsoft\<SubFolder_Templates>\Normal.dot # [ExcludeFiles] # List files to not include into the OPS file. # Syntax is one filename or path\filename per line. # Folder-token (e.g. <AppData>) is optional. # Path relative to folder-token is optional. # Wildcards are supported in the filename. # Wildcards are not supported in the path. # # Examples for excluding Normal.dot: # Normal.dot # Normal.* # Norm??.dot # <AppData>\Microsoft\<SubFolder_Templates>\Normal.dot *.OST *.PAB *.PST *.TMP *.RWZ *.NICK EXTEND.DAT OutlPrnt <AppData>\Microsoft\Outlook\*.FAV <AppData>\Microsoft\Word\*.ASD <AppData>\Microsoft\Word\*.WBK [FolderTreesToRemoveToResetToDefaults] # List folder trees to be deleted prior to restoring data from # Syntax is same as [IncludeFolderTrees]. # Wildcards are not supported. # Every file in the folder and all subfolders will be deleted. # Use this section with caution; it might delete more than you # Terminal Symbols are ignored and treated as "all". <AppData>\Microsoft\Office\Shortcut Bar <AppData>\Microsoft\FrontPage [IndividualFilesToRemoveToResetToDefaults] 284 # Entries must begin with one of the Folder tokens listed under # [IncludeFolderTrees]. # Wildcards are supported in the filename. # Wildcards are not supported in the path. # Terminal Symbols are ignored and treated as "all". <AppData>\Microsoft\<SubFolder_AddIns>\*.* <AppData>\Microsoft\ClipGallery\*.* <AppData>\Microsoft\Excel\*.* <AppData>\Microsoft\Excel\<SubFolder_Xlstart>\*.* <AppData>\Microsoft\Graph\*.* <AppData>\Microsoft\Office\*.* <AppData>\Microsoft\Office\<SubFolder_Actors>\*.* # <AppData>\Microsoft\Office\<SubFolder_RecentFiles>\*.* <AppData>\Microsoft\PowerPoint\*.* <AppData>\Microsoft\<SubFolder_Proof>\*.* <AppData>\Microsoft\<SubFolder_Queries>\*.* <AppData>\Microsoft\<SubFolder_Signatures>\*.* <AppData>\Microsoft\<SubFolder_Stationery>\*.* <AppData>\Microsoft\<SubFolder_Templates>\*.* <AppData>\Microsoft\<SubFolder_Themes>\*.* <AppData>\Microsoft\Word\*.* <AppData>\Microsoft\Word\<SubFolder_Startup>\*.* [ExcludeFilesToRemoveToResetToDefaults] # List of files NOT to be removed regardless of where they live when # resetting to defaults prior to restoring data from OPS file. # # Syntax is one filename per line; no preceeding path. # Wildcards "*" and "?" are supported as the first character only. # The following are allowed:*.DIC #NORMAL.DOC #?FOO.FIL #*FILE.FOO #*.DIC # Terminal Symbols are ignored and treated as "all". # Your files must not be preceeded by a path. *.PST *.DIC *.OST # ***************************** Registry Sections ***************************** [SubstituteEnvironmentVariables] # List environment variables to substitute in registry values # that take the data type REG_EXPAND_SZ. # Syntax is one environment variable per line. # Wildcards are not supported. %USERPROFILE% %USERNAME% [IncludeRegistryTrees] # List registry trees to include. # All values and subkeys within the specified tree are included. # Syntax is one key per line. # Wildcards are not supported. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access # HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Common # 285 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Osa HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Outlook HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\PowerPoint HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Shortcut Bar HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Web Server HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Word HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Publisher HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\ClipGallery HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Access HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Common HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Excel HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\PowerPoint HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Word HKCU\Software\Microsoft\FrontPage HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Font Mapping HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Proofing Tools HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Outlook\Journaling HKCU\Software\Microsoft\VBA\Office HKCU\ControlPanel\International\NumShape HKCU\ControlPanel\International\Calendars\TwoDigitYearMax HKCU\AppEvents\Schemes\Apps\Office97 [IncludeIndividualRegistryKeys] # List individual registry keys to include. # Syntax is same as [IncludeRegistryTrees] but includes only values # in the specified key, not subkeys. # Wildcards are not supported. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Exchange\Client\Options HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Common\LanguageResources HKCU\Software\Microsoft\VBA\Trusted [IncludeIndividualRegistryValues] # List individual registry values to include. # Same as [IncludeIndividualRegistryKeys] but includes only specific # value, not subkeys. # Syntax is key\valuename. # Wildcards are not supported. # Name can be blank to denote the default value (use a trailing [ExcludeRegistryTrees] # List registry trees to exclude. # All values and subkeys within the specified tree are excluded. # Syntax is one key per line. # Wildcards are not supported. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Common\Migration [ExcludeIndividualRegistryKeys] # List individual registry keys to exclude. # Syntax is same as [ExcludeRegistryTrees] but excludes only values # in the specified key, not subkeys. # Wildcards are not supported. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\PowerPoint\Tips HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Common\UserInfo HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Excel\Recent Files HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\PowerPoint\Recent File List 286 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\FrontPage\Explorer\FrontPage Explorer\Recent # all HKCU\Software\Microsoft\FrontPage\Explorer\FrontPage Explorer\Recent # all HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\PhotoDraw\Recent File List # all [ExcludeIndividualRegistryValues] # List individual registry values to exclude. # Same as [ExcludeIndividualRegistryKeys] but excludes only specific # value, not subkeys. # Syntax is key\valuename. # Wildcards are not supported. # Name can be blank to denote the default value (use a trailing backslash). HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRU1 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRUFlags1 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRU2 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRUFlags2 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRU3 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRUFlags3 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRU4 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRUFlags4 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRU5 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRUFlags5 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRU6 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRUFlags6 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRU7 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRUFlags7 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRU8 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRUFlags8 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRU9 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\MRUFlags9 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\Settings\Prefs Migrated HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Access\UserData HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Common\General\FirstRun HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Common\UserData HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Excel\Options\FirstRun HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Excel\Options\TipShown HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Excel\UserData HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Outlook\Setup\First-Run HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Outlook\Setup\MailSupport HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Outlook\UserData HKCU\Software\Microsoft\office\10.0\Outlook\Journal\Item Log File HKCU\Software\Microsoft\office\10.0\Outlook\Journal\Outlook Item Log HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\PowerPoint\First Run\FirstRun HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\PowerPoint\UserData HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Word\Options\FirstRun HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Word\Options\ReplyMessageComment HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Word\UserData HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Outlook\Preferences\AnnotationText HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Shortcut Bar\LocalPath HKCU\Software\Microsoft\office\10.0\Word\Options\PROGRAMDIR HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Common\Assistant\AsstFile HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Common\Assistant\CurrAsstFile [RegistryTreesToRemoveToResetToDefaults] # List registry trees to be removed prior to writing custom values. # All values and subkeys within the specified tree will be removed. # Wildcards are not supported. 287 HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Common HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Excel HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Outlook HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\PowerPoint HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\Word HKCU\Software\Microsoft\FrontPage HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Shared Tools\Proofing Tools HKCU\Software\Microsoft\VBA\Office # HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows Messaging # Subsystem\Profiles HKCU\Software\Microsoft\VBA\Trusted [IndividualRegistryValuesToRemoveToResetToDefaults] # List individual registry values to be removed prior to writing custom values. # Syntax is key\valuename. # Wildcards are not supported. # Valuename can be blank to denote the default value (use a trailing backslash). # Terminal Symbols are ignored and treated as "all". [RegistryTreesToExcludeToResetToDefaults] # List individual registry trees that will not be removed when resetting to # defaults. # All values and subkeys within the specified tree will be ignored. # Wildcards are not supported. # Terminal symbols are ignored and treated as "all". # This section cannot be used if the OPS file is used for custom setup in a # transform. [RegistryKeysToExcludeToResetToDefaults] # List individual registry keys that will not be removed when resetting to # defaults. # All values within the specified tree will be ignored. # Wildcards are not supported. # Terminal symbols are ignored and treated as "all". # This section cannot be used if the OPS file is used for custom setup in a # transform. [RegistryValuesToExcludeToResetToDefaults] # List individual registry values that will not be removed when resetting to # defaults. # Wildcards are not supported. # Only excludes only specific values, not subkeys. # Terminal symbols are ignored and treated as "all". # Syntax is key\valuename. # Name can be blank to denote the default value (use a trailing backslash). # This section cannot be used if the OPS file is used for custom setup in a # transform. Capturing Settings Before creating an OPS file, you must start each Office XP program on a sample computer and set all the options you want to capture in the file. The most interesting settings are on each program's Tools menu. To customize toolbars and menus, click Customize on the Tools menu. To configure 288 created for a different application, customize that application, instead. There are two ways to capture the settings defined in your INI file. You can run Profile Wizard the Start menu. This is interactive and sometimes a bit confusing if you're using this application other than Office XP. You can also run Profile Wizard from the MS-DOS prompt: proflwiz /i filename.ini /s filename.ops /q Replace filename.ini with the name of the INI file that you customized. If you're using OPW10adm.ini file, you don't need to specify an INI file (just make sure it's in the same Proflwiz.exe). Replace filename.ops with the name of the OPS file in which you want settings form the current profile. The following steps describe how to save settings to an Run Profile Wizard, and then click Next. 1. On the Save Or Restore Settings page, shown in Figure 14-1, select the Save The From This Machine option. Then, in the Settings File box, type the name and OPS file. Figure 14-1: Profile Wizard enables you to exclude settings for some Office XP programs and include settings for others. Clear the check boxes next to the settings you want exclude. 2. Select the check boxes next to each Office XP program you want to include in your Clear the check boxes next to each program you want to exclude. If you're using that you've customized for another program, skip this step. 3. Deploying Settings The primary purpose of OPS files is to deploy settings with Office XP. However, they're than that. You can also use them to restore a program's default configuration, as a help deploy settings to users' desktops, and as a convenient way to configure a computer after 289 Just as there are many ways to use OPS files, there are also different ways to deploy them. The most common method is to embed them in MST files that you create with Custom Installation Wizard. You learn about this in the next section. If you want to apply settings outside the setup program in Office XP, you must run Profile Wizard separately, though. This is much more flexible than including OPS files in MST files, because it enables you to deploy different settings to different groups of users. To restore the settings from an OPS file to the user's profile, run the following command while logged on to Windows XP as that user: proflwiz /r filename.ops /q Replace filename.ops with the name of the OPS file that you want to restore to the user's profile. Profile Wizard must be available for users to run, so copy Proflwiz.exe from C:\Program Files\ORKTools\ORK10\Tools to a share that's available to all users, perhaps the Office XP administrative installation. Custom Installation Wizard Custom Installation Wizard is the tool you use to customize Office XP. You can use it to configure everything from the Office XP installation folder to the security settings. It's the one tool you'll always use when deploying Office XP. The result of running Custom Installation Wizard is a transform (MST file). You associate this MST file with the Office XP package file using the TRANSFORMS= filename.mst property or a the MST1 setting in the Office XP Setup.ini file. Order of Precedence Most of the Office XP settings are in the registry. If you define conflicting values for the same setting, Office XP has rules that determine which setting it uses. Most often, the later in the process you apply a setting, the more precedence it has. Office XP applies settings in the following order: Settings in an OPS file included in the transform. • Settings on the Change Office User Settings, Specify Office Security Settings, and Outlook: Custom Default Settings pages of Custom Installation Wizard. • Registry values specified in the transform. • Settings applied by running Profile Wizard during installation. • Settings that migrate from a previous version of Office XP. • Settings applied by using Profile Wizard or Custom Maintenance Wizard after installing Office XP. This precedence assumes that users have already started each Office XP application and any migrated settings have already been applied. • Settings managed through policies. • Four of Custom Installation Wizard's pages enable you to deploy settings with your MST file. You learn more about each page in the following sections "Add/Remove Registry Entries," "Customize Default Application Settings," "Change Office User Settings," and "Add Installations and Run Programs." 290 Because most Office XP settings are in the registry, you can customize them by changing registry values within MST files. The setup program applies your settings install Office XP. You can apply settings once per user by adding settings to HKCU, apply settings once per computer by adding settings to HKLM. You can also add values registry that customize settings that aren't accessible through the Office XP user interface Profile Wizard doesn't capture in OPS files. For example, you can include settings programs. Here's how to add registry values to a transform: On the Add Registry Entries page, shown in Figure 14-2, click Add. Figure 14-2: Custom Installation Wizard is the primary tool you use to customize 1. In the Root box, select the portion of the registry you want to modify. 2. In the Data type box, select a data type for the new entry. 3. In the remaining boxes, type the full path for the registry value you want to add, value name and data, and click OK. 4. Typing values on the Add Registry Entries page of Custom Installation Wizard is an errortedious process. It's better to export the settings to a REG file and then import that REG your MST file. For more information about creating REG files, see Chapter 2, "Using the Editor," and Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes." Of course, this assumes that the want to add to the transform already exist in your computer's registry. If the values aren't present, you can add them with the benefit of Registry Editor's user interface, and then to a REG file. To import a registry file to a transform: On Custom Installation Wizard's Add Registry Entries page, click Import. 1. In the File Name box, type the path and file name of the REG file, and then click Custom Installation Wizard adds the values from the REG file to the list on the Add Entries page. If the wizard encounters an entry in the REG file that is a duplicate version contains different value data, the wizard prompts you to select the entry keep. To remove any values you don't want to keep, click the value, and then click 2. 291 modifying registry values override duplicate values that you set on other pages Installation Wizard, including the following: Settings in an OPS file added to a transform • Settings on the Change Office User Settings page • Options on the Outlook: Customize Default Settings page • Settings on the Specify Office Security Settings page • Customize Default Application Settings Adding an OPS file to an MST file is an easy way to deploy a bunch of settings throughout organization. You learned how to create an OPS file earlier in this chapter. Now you need how to embed that OPS file in your MST file. The big gotcha here is that any settings in file have lower precedence than settings you define elsewhere in your MST file. That settings in the Change Office User Settings page overwrite settings in your OPS file, for as do settings defined on the Add Registry Entries page. You embed OPS file in your MST file on Custom Installation Wizard's Customize Default Settings page. Select the Get Values From An Existing Settings Profile check box, and name and path of the OPS file. Custom Installation Wizard creates a transform that contains OPS file and any other customizations you have made. Note Adding an OPS file to the MST file increases the size of the transform and requires re-create the MST file any time you change the OPS file. You can store the OPS network and run Profile Wizard with your OPS file during the Office XP installation, See "Add Installations and Run Programs," later in this chapter, for more information. If an earlier version of Office is installed on a user's computer, Windows Installer migrates previous version's settings to Office XP the first time the user starts an Office XP program. migrated settings overwrite duplicate settings in an OPS file or MST file. On the Customize Application Settings page of Custom Installation Wizard, shown in Figure 14-3, you can behavior. If you are not including an OPS file in the MST file, the wizard selects the Migrate Settings check box by default. When users install Office XP with your transform, Setup settings from an earlier version of Office. If you add an OPS file to the transform, the wizard the Migrate User Settings check box and uses the values in your OPS file instead. 292 Figure 14-3: Custom Installation Wizard clears the Migrate User Settings check box if you an OPS file in your MST file. If you add an OPS file to an MST file and select the Migrate User Settings check box, from your OPS file are applied during the initial installation. The first time a user runs Office XP programs, Windows Installer migrates settings from an earlier version of overwrites any corresponding settings previously applied. Change Office User Settings You can set most of the options you capture with Profile Wizard on Custom Installation Change Office User Settings page. That includes any REG_DWORD and REG_SZ value REG_BINARY values. This is useful for customizing a small number of settings or default configuration without rebuilding an OPS file that's already in the MST file. To configure settings on the Change Office User Settings page, shown in Figure 14category in the left pane. In the right pane, double-click the settings you want to configure include in your MST file. 293 Figure 14-4: Custom Installation Wizard's Change Office User Settings page is very similar System Policy Editor with the Office XP policy templates (ADM files) loaded. When users install Office XP using your transform, the settings you configure on the Change User Settings page apply to every user on that computer. However, Windows Installer applies the settings that differ from existing default settings. Settings you configure on this wizard override the same settings in the OPS file you've included in the transform. Tip The Change Office User Settings page uses templates for the settings it displays, just Policy and system policies use templates. These templates are in C:\ Files\ORKTools\ORK10\Tools and have the OPA file extension. Add Installations and Run Programs Custom Installation Wizard enables you to run programs during the Office XP installation. run Profile Wizard (Proflwiz.exe) to distribute custom settings at the end of the Office XP for example. You cannot use Custom Installation Wizard's Add Installations And Run page to install other Windows Installer packages, however. If Windows Installer starts second package before it's finished installing the first, the entire process fails. Here's Profile Wizard to the Add Installations And Run Programs page: On the Add Installations And Run Programs page, click Add. 1. In the Target box, type the path and file name of Profile Wizard, typically C:\ Files\ORKTools\ORK10\Tools\Proflwiz.exe. 2. In the Arguments box, add command-line options to apply the OPS file to computer, usually /r filename.ops /q. 3. Do either of the following, as shown in Figure 14-5: Click Run This Program Once Per Machine to apply your settings the first logs on. → Click Run This Program Once Per User to apply your default settings to on that computer. This option requires an active network connection to the first time a user logs on to the computer. → 4. 294 Figure 14-5: You can also add programs to your installation by customizing the Office Setup.ini file. Custom Maintenance Wizard You get one shot at applying an MST file to Office XP, and that's during installation. If change settings after installing Office XP, you can use Custom Maintenance Wizard almost everything that you can configure in Custom Installation Wizard, including user security levels, Outlook profile settings, and so on. Custom Maintenance Wizard is one of improvements in the Office XP Resource Kit over the Office 2000 version. The resource kit installs Custom Maintenance Wizard on the Start menu. Click Start, All Microsoft Office Tools, Microsoft Office XP Resource Kit Tools, and then click Custom Maintenance Wizard. The program file Maintwiz.exe is in C:\Program Files \ORKTools\ORK10\Tools. of running the wizard is a CMW file that contains your configuration changes. For users CMW files that the wizard creates, you must copy Maintwiz.exe and the CMW files to the administrative share, which gives Custom Maintenance Wizard elevated privileges Alternatively, you can use the policy Allow CMW files at any location to be applied. The user interfaces of both wizards are almost identical, so I won't use much space describing to use Custom Maintenance Wizard here. You specify new settings using Custom Maintenance Wizard's Change Office User Settings page, for instance. You can't use Custom Maintenance Wizard to deploy a new OPS file, however, so you have to run Profile Wizard separately logon script, and so on). Chapter 15, "Working Around IT Problems," has recommendations pushing command-lines to users' computers. Group and System Policy Everything I've presented to this point helps you deploy user settings for Office XP and other programs. If you want to manage settings, however, you must use Group Policy 295 Directory. Chapter 6, "Using Registry-Based Policies," describes policies in detail. Part IV, "Appendices," describes many of the policies in Office XP and tells you where to find them in the registry. The Office XP Resource Kit provides policy templates (ADM files) that you can use with either Group Policy or system policies. It installs several ADM files in %SYSTEMROOT%\Inf, such as OFFICE10.ADM, which contains policy settings that are common to all Office XP programs. When to Use What Scenario Method Tool Distribute a standard default Office XP configuration Add an OPS file to a transform Profile Wizard and Custom Installation Wizard (Customize Default Application Settings page) Configure a few options or override the OSP file's settings without rebuilding it Add user settings to a transform Custom Installation Wizard (Change Office User Settings page) Set default security levels and customize trusted sources list Specify security settings in a transform Custom Installation Wizard (Specify Office Security Settings page) Set migration and e-mail options for Outlook Specify Outlook settings in a transform Custom Installation Wizard (Outlook: Custom Default Settings page) Specify settings that are not captured in an OPS file Add registry values to a transform Custom Installation Wizard (Add/Remove Registry Entries page) Distribute a default Office XP configuration but store one or more OPS files separately from the MST file Run Profile Wizard during Setup Profile Wizard and Custom Installation Wizard (Add Installations and Run Programs page) Preserve users' custom settings from a previous version instead of specifying new default settings Enable Setup to migrate ettings from a previous version of Office Default behavior Set unique options for Office XP Multilingual User Interface Packs or other chained packages Specify settings in the transform applied to the chained package Custom Installation Wizard and Setup INI Customization Wizard Distribute a default Office XP configuration that overrides individual users' settings Run Profile Wizard as a stand-alone tool after installing Office XP Profile Wizard Modify user settings after installing Office XP Distribute a CMW file after installing Office XP Custom Maintenance Wizard Prevent users from modifying settings Set policies System Policy Editor or Windows 2000 Group Policy 296 297 IT professionals often have to struggle with getting configurations just right before deployment. They try to play by the rules, but they sometimes must bend them to get things well in their environments. Bending the rules often means using the registry to achieve a not usually possible. Chapter 4, "Hacking the Registry," showed good examples of bending rules. If you want to use Folder Redirection without Active Directory, for example, you have the registry. This chapter follows that example with many more. I could fill an entire book (I'd sure like to try) with the dirty tricks that IT professionals things to work the way they want. I've focused this chapter on the topics that I'm asked frequently, though. For example, I don't know many professionals who aren't frustrated Microsoft Outlook Express icons that keep popping up on users' desktops. This chapter how to rid your business of them. I also know that many professionals want to permanently some components from Microsoft Windows XP, and of course, this chapter shows you that as well. Last, this chapter shows you how to run processes with elevated privileges, you must do if you want to distribute applications without the benefit of a software management infrastructure, and how to customize the logon process. Controlling Just-in-Time Setup Every IT professional I've spoken with, particularly desktop-deployment types, have problem: They want to know how to prevent Windows XP from creating icons for Outlook on the Quick Launch toolbar and Start menu when users log on to the computer the first specifically, Windows XP creates these icons when it creates user profiles for new users. icons aren't in the default user profile, which you learned about in Chapter 10, "Deploying Profiles," so you can't just remove them from it to avoid creating them. At this point, you might be asking why you can't just remove those components from Windows Well, the operating system doesn't provide a user interface for doing that. In the section Components," later in this chapter, I show you how to limit which components the setup installs, though. Still, other components are required for the operating system to work properly. example, Windows XP requires Internet Explorer. If you're deploying Microsoft Outlook must install Outlook Express, because Outlook 2002 depends on many of the components Outlook Express. The best you can do is not advertise these programs so users sidetracked while using their computers. Windows XP actually creates these icons as part of its just-in-time setup process for user The operating system creates a user profile for a new user, and then runs this just-inprocess to finish configuring it. Another way to think of the process is that the setup program configuring per-user settings until Windows XP creates user profiles, when decisions about settings are better made. This just-in-time setup process is what you need to control to pesky Outlook Express icons from showing up on the desktop. The key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components drives the justsetupprocess.Eachsubkeyisacomponent.Forexample,the {2179C5D3-EBFF-11CF-B6FD-00AA00B4E220} is for NetShow. Within each subkey, see the REG_EXPAND_SZ value StubPath. If this value exists, Windows XP executes command it contains when the operating system creates a new user profile. If you don't value or the value is empty, it does nothing. So to keep Windows XP from running a component's just-in-time setup process, remove the value StubPath from that component's subkey 298 "Cloning Disks with Sysprep," describes how to deploy settings on your disk images. NoteWhy care if Outlook Express has an icon on the Quick Launch toolbar? It's distracting and keeps users from their work. Specifically, your enterprise isn't likely to use Outlook Express as its mail client; you probably deployed a full-featured client like Outlook 2002 or similar. If you advertise Outlook Express on the desktop, users are going to have two mail clients. If that doesn't confuse them and cause problems, it'll certainly tease them into playing with Outlook Express. This goes for many of the other programs that come with Windows XP, including Windows Media Player, NetMeeting, and so on. Outlook Express When Windows XP creates a new user profile, it executes the command in the REG_EXPAND_SZ value HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{44BBA840CC5111CF-AAFA-00AA00B6015C}\StubPath to create the Outlook Express icon in the Start menu and on the Quick Launch toolbar. This command is "%ProgramFiles%\Outlook Express \setup50.exe" /APP:OE /CALLER:WINNT /user /install. To prevent this command from running, remove the StubPath value or, alternatively, change its name to HideStubPath, as shown in Figure 151. Figure 15-1: Prevent Windows XP from creating Outlook Express shortcuts by hiding StubPath. This customization is common on disk images, so I'm providing you with a script to do it. Save the script shown in Listing 15-1 to a text file with the .inf extension. Right-click it, and then click Install. Keep this script handy as a disk-image customization tool. Listing 15-1: Outlook.inf [Version] Signature=$CHICAGO$ [DefaultInstall] DelReg=Reg.Settings [Reg.Settings] HKLM,SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components\{44BBA840-\ CC51-11CF-AAFA-00AA00B6015C},StubPath TipAn alternative to hiding the Outlook Express icon is making Outlook Express a newsreader client only. Add the option /outnews to the target of each icon (put this commandline option outside of the quotation marks). When users choose the shortcut, Outlook Express opens with all its news-client features working, but its mail-client features don't work. This is useful in scenarios when you must provide newsgroup access to users, like developers, who usually require access to Microsoft and developer newsgroups. To easily deploy this customized Outlook Express shortcut, add it to the default user profile. Alternatively, because this hack 299 Windows Media Player Windows Media Player has two subkeys in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup Components: {22d6f312-b0f6-11d0-94ab-0080c74c7e95} is for version 6.4 and the value StubPath rundll32.exeadvpack.dll,LaunchINFSectionC:\WINDO \mplayer2.inf,PerUserStub.NT. • {6BF52A52-394A-11d3-B153-00C04F79FAA6} is for version 8 and the value rundll32.exe advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection C:\WINDOWS \INF\wmp.inf,PerUserStub. • These values are responsible for the numerous Windows Media Player shortcuts. Remove StubPath values to prevent Windows XP from adding the Windows Media Player shortcut Quick Launch toolbar. Also, if you want to keep the Windows Media Player shortcut off the Start menu, remove it from the default user profile (see Chapter 10, "Deploying User You also find Windows Media Player shortcuts in the All Users profile %SYSTEMDRIVE%\DocumentsandSettings\AllUsers\Sta \Programs\Accessories\Entertainment. Ideally, remove the shortcut from your networkDefault User profile, and then remove the shortcut from the All Users profile folder on images. Desktop Themes Preventing Windows XP from configuring desktop themes when it creates a user profile way to revert to the classic user interface (see Figure 15-2). Remove or REG_EXPAND_SZ value StubPath from the key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active \Installed Components\{2C7339CF-2B09-4501-B3F3-F3508C9228ED}. The command value contains is %SystemRoot%\system32\regsvr32.exe /s /n /i:/UserInstall %SystemRoot%\system32\themeui.dll. 300 user interface. Other Shortcuts The key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components contains other components with StubPath values that I haven't mentioned yet. You can prevent Windows XP from configuring any of the components when the operating system creates a user profile by removing or hiding the StubPath value in the corresponding subkey. Table 15-1 lists all the components I've already described plus the ones that I haven't. Table 15-1: Components in Installed Components Component Subkey StubPath Address Book 6 {7790769C-0471-11d2AF11-00C04FA35D02} "%ProgramFiles%\Outlook Express\setup50.exe" /APP:WAB /CALLER:WINNT /user /install Internet Explorer 6 {89820200-ECBD-11cf8B85-00AA005B4383} %SystemRoot%\system32\ie4uinit.exe Internet Explorer Access {ACC563BC-4266-43f0B6ED-9D38C4202C7E} rundll32 iesetup.dll,IEAccessUserInst Microsoft Outlook Express 6 {44BBA840-CC51-11CFAAFA-00AA00B6015C} "%ProgramFiles%\Outlook Express\setup50.exe" /APP:OE /CALLER:WINNT /user /install Microsoft Windows Media Player 6.4 {22d6f312-b0f6-11d094ab-0080c74c7e95} rundll32.exe advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection C:\WINDOWS\INF \mplayer2.inf,PerUserStub.NT Microsoft Windows Media Player 8 {6BF52A52-394A-11d3B153-00C04F79FAA6} rundll32.exe advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection C:\WINDOWS\INF \wmp.inf,PerUserStub NetMeeting 3.01 {44BBA842-CC51-11CF- AAFA-00AA00B6015B} rundll32.exe advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection C:\WINDOWS\INF \msnetmtg.inf,NetMtg.Install.PerUser.NT Theme Component {2C7339CF-2B09-4501B3F3-F3508C9228ED} %SystemRoot%\system32\regsvr32.exe /s /n /i: /UserInstall %SystemRoot%\system32 \themeui.dll Windows Desktop Update {89820200-ECBD-11cf8B85-00AA005B4340} regsvr32.exe /s /n /i:U shell32.dll Windows Messenger 4.0 {5945c046-1e7d-11d1bc44-00c04fd912be} rundll32.exe advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection C:\WINDOWS\INF \msmsgs.inf,BLC.Install.PerUser Keep in mind that even if you prevent Windows XP from configuring every component I show in the table, you might still have unwanted icons. These icons come from the Default User and All User profile folders. Remove the shortcuts that you don't want from any default user profile you've deployed. Remove the shortcuts you don't want from the All Users folder on your disk images. Caution 301 For example, when a user opens the shortcut of a Windows Installer-based application, the Windows Desktop Update passes it on to Windows Installer so that Windows Installer can check and repair the application if necessary. If you prevent the operating system from configuring the Windows Desktop Update, you remove Windows Installer from the process. Even though this prevents Windows Installer from repairing broken shortcuts, it doesn't prevent Windows Installer from repairing components within an application. Removing Components Whereas the previous section showed you how to prevent Windows XP from configuring components when it creates a user profile, this section shows you how to prevent Windows XP from installing certain components altogether. Be careful when you prevent the operating system from installing components, though, because doing so could cripple some features and applications. For example, Office XP requires Internet Explorer, Outlook Express, and NetMeeting for a lot of its features, particularly its collaboration features. The moral is to test your configurations in a lab before deploying them to unsuspecting users. The Windows XP setup program doesn't provide a user interface for removing components during installation. You can use an answer file to remove components, however; Chapter 12, "Deploying with Answer Files," shows you what the [Components] section looks like in an answer file, and I summarize that information in this chapter. The operating system does allow users to add or remove components using Windows Components Wizard, though: click Start, Control Panel, Add Or Remove Programs, Add/Remove Windows Components. Still, the wizard and answer files do not allow you to remove and disable some of the features that enterprises would rather not install. There's no option to remove Movie Maker, for example, nor is there an option to remove Windows Messenger. This section shows you some alternative ways to get rid of components, if possible, or to hide them. The most common requests that I get are to get rid of Tour Windows XP, Movie Maker, Outlook Express, and Files And Settings Transfer Wizard. Strangely, I'm not often asked about removing the games, but you can do that easily enough through your Windows XP answer file. Answer File [Components] Section Chapter 12, "Deploying with Answer Files," describes how to build an answer file. If you're an IT professional deploying Windows XP, you're probably already familiar with answer files. The [Components] section of answer files enables you to prevent the operating system from installing certain components. Listing 15-2 on the next page shows what this section looks like, and the listing contains all the components that Windows XP answer files support (I omitted serverspecific components). The names of each component are self-explanatory. To install a component, set it to On. To prevent its installation, set it to Off. In the listing, I've set each component to its default installation value. Listing 15-2: Unattend.txt [Components] accessopt=On; Accessibility wizard calc=On; Calculator charmap=On; Character Map chat=Off; Chat 302 fp_extensions=Off; FrontPage server extensions fp_vdir_deploy=Off; Visual InterDev RAD Remote Deployment Support freecell=On; Freecell hearts=On; Hearts hypertrm=On; HyperTerminal IEAccess=On; Visible entry points to Internet Explorer iis_common=Off; Internet Information Services (IIS) common iis_ftp=Off; FTP service iis_htmla=Off; HTML-based administration for IIS iis_inetmgr=Off; MMC-based administration for IIS iis_pwmgr=Off; Personal Web Manager iis_smtp=Off; SMTP service for IIS iis_smtp_docs=Off; SMTP service documentation iis_www=Off; WWW service for IIS iis_www_vdir_printers=Off; Web printing components for IIS iisdbg=Off; Microsoft Script Debugger indexsrv_system=Off; Indexing Service media_clips=On; Sample sound clips media_utopia=Off; Utopia Sound Scheme minesweeper=On; Minesweeper mousepoint=On; Mouse pointers mplay=On; Windows Media Player msmq_ADIntegrated=Off; Integrates Message Queuing (MSMQ) with AD msmq_Core=Off; MSMQ core files msmq_HTTPSupport=Off; MSMQ support for HTTP msmq_LocalStorage=Off; MSMQ support for local storage msmq_MQDSService=Off; MSMQ support for down-level clients msmq_RoutingSupport=Off; MSMQ support for efficient routing msmq_TriggersService=Off; MSMQ support for Component Object Model msmsgs=On; Windows Messenger msnexplr=On; MSN Explorer mswordpad=On; WordPad Netcis=Off; COM Internet Services netoc=On; Optional networking components objectpkg=On; Object Packager paint=On; Paint pinball=On; Pinball rec=On; Sound Recorder solitaire=On; Solitaire spider=On; Spider templates=On; Document templates Vol=On; Volume Control zonegames=On; Gaming Zone Internet games Microsoft doesn't document a way to prevent the setup program from installing Windows Messenger—a common request. I've added the component msmsgs to Listing 15-2, however, which prevents the setup program from installing it. The file Sysoc.inf, which you learn about in the next section, hides this component in Windows Components Wizard. You can edit that file to show Windows Messenger in the wizard, but doing so relies on users to remove Windows Messenger. Instead, you can add the component to the [Components] section of your answer file to prevent the setup program from installing it. This is a great technique for preventing the operating system from installing things such as the games, but it doesn't prevent the installation of components such as Movie Maker, because the [Components] section doesn't include settings for those components. You can use it to prevent the installation of Windows Media Player and Windows Messenger, though, which strikes two 303 Extending Windows Components Wizard Just because you don't see a component in Windows Components Wizard doesn't mean that Windows XP isn't prepared to remove it. The file Sysoc.inf controls which components appear in the wizard. This file is in %SYSTEMROOT%\Inf, and Listing 15-3 shows its default contents. You must display super-hidden files to see the Inf folder: In Windows Explorer, click Tools, Folder Options. On the View tab, select the Show Hidden Files And Folders check box. Listing 15-3: Sysoc.inf [Version] Signature = "$Windows NT$" DriverVer=07/01/2001,5.1.2600.0 [Components] NtComponents=ntoc.dll,NtOcSetupProc,,4 WBEM=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wbemoc.inf,hide,7 Display=desk.cpl,DisplayOcSetupProc,,7 Fax=fxsocm.dll,FaxOcmSetupProc,fxsocm.inf,,7 NetOC=netoc.dll,NetOcSetupProc,netoc.inf,,7 iis=iis.dll,OcEntry,iis.inf,,7 com=comsetup.dll,OcEntry,comnt5.inf,hide,7 dtc=msdtcstp.dll,OcEntry,dtcnt5.inf,hide,7 IndexSrv_System = setupqry.dll,IndexSrv,setupqry.inf,,7 TerminalServer=TsOc.dll, HydraOc, TsOc.inf,hide,2 msmq=msmqocm.dll,MsmqOcm,msmqocm.inf,,6 ims=imsinsnt.dll,OcEntry,ims.inf,,7 fp_extensions=fp40ext.dll,FrontPage4Extensions,fp40ext.inf,,7 AutoUpdate=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,au.inf,hide,7 msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,hide,7 RootAutoUpdate=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,rootau.inf,,7 IEAccess=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,ieaccess.inf,,7 Games=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,games.inf,,7 AccessUtil=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,accessor.inf,,7 CommApps=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,communic.inf,HIDE,7 MultiM=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,multimed.inf,HIDE,7 AccessOpt=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,optional.inf,HIDE,7 Pinball=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,pinball.inf,HIDE,7 MSWordPad=ocgen.dll,OcEntry,wordpad.inf,HIDE,7 ZoneGames=zoneoc.dll,ZoneSetupProc,igames.inf,,7 [Global] WindowTitle=%WindowTitle% WindowTitle.StandAlone="*" [Components] msnexplr=ocmsn.dll,OcEntry,msnmsn.inf,,7 [Strings] WindowTitle="Windows Professional Setup" WindowTitle_Standalone="Windows Components Wizard" The important section in this file is [Components]. Each line in this section is either a specific component or a category of components. If you see the word hide, Windows XP doesn't display the 304 Windows Messenger, change the line msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf, msmsgs=msgrocm.dll,OcEntry,msmsgs.inf,,7. Removing Components After Installation The first option I gave you enables you to prevent the Windows XP setup program from components during installation. The second option enables you to expose additional components Windows Components Wizard. This last option is for scenarios in which you want to component without exposing it in Windows Components Wizard. This is also useful when to script the removal so that you don't have to visit the desktop. The first step is to find the component's INF file in %SYSTEMROOT%\Inf. Remember that super-hidden folder, and I gave you instructions for showing it earlier in this chapter. way to find the component's INF file is to use Search Assistant. Look for all files with extension that contain the name of the component. For example, to find the INF file for Messenger, search for all files with the .inf extension in %SYSTEMROOT%\Inf that Windows Messenger. You should come up with the file Msmsgs.inf as shown in Figure look in the file for a section with the words remove or uninstall in it. In this case, the section [BLC.Remove]. Then execute the following command, whether in a script or in the Run where Filename.inf is the name of the INF file and Section is the name of the uninstall section: rundll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %systemroot%\Inf\Filename.inf,Section Figure 15-3: Search the %SYSTEMROOT%\Inf folder for all files with the .inf extension the name of the component you want to remove. Thus, to remove Windows Messenger, run the command: rundll32 advpack.dll,LaunchINFSection %systemroot%\Inf\Msmsgs.inf,BLC.Remove. 305 components that do provide INF files, though. Hiding Non-Removable Components None of the methods I've shown will help you get rid of some components, including Tour XP, Movie Maker, Outlook Express, and Files And Settings Transfer Wizard, which is what me on this rampage in the first place. To prevent users from accessing these applications, going to have to get creative. Tour Windows XP is easy to hide, if not get rid of altogether. new subkey in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows \CurrentVersion\Applets\Tour called create the REG_DWORD value RunCount and set it to 0x00. Do this on your disk images users aren't accosted by Tour Windows XP the first time they log on to the operating system; can run the tour from the Start menu. The remaining bits aren't as easy. You can't just remove the program files because Windows Protection immediately restores them. You could disable Windows File Protection, recommend doing so because it protects users' configurations from accidents and misbehaved applications that like to replace files they have no business replacing. Instead, on your disk hide the shortcuts, and use Software Restriction Policies to prevent users from running programs by opening the program files: Prevent Windows XP from creating new shortcuts by removing the appropriate values from HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components. section "Controlling Just-in-Time Setup," earlier in this chapter, for more information. 1. Hide existing shortcuts to the program (do this on your disk images): Search %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Documents and Settings\All Users for shortcuts program, and remove them. → Search %SYSTEMDRIVE%\Documents and Settings\Default User for shortcuts the program, and remove them. → Search the Default User folder in \\Server\NETLOGON\Default User share program's shortcuts, and remove them. → 2. Create a new Group Policy object (GPO) in Active Directory or locally on your disk that prevents users from running the program. 3. That last step requires more explanation. Chapter 6, "Using Registry-Based Policy," contains information about Group Policy, but I'll get you started. The following instructions assume defining Software Restriction Policies in the local GPO, but the steps transfer to networkGroup Policy: In Group Policy Editor's left pane, click Software Restriction Policies. To start Group Policy Editor, type gpedit.msc in the Run dialog box. Software Policies is under Computer Configuration\Windows Settings \Security Settings. 1. Right-click Software Restriction Policies, and then click Create New Policies. 2. Under Software Restrictions Policies, right-click Additional Rules, and then click Rule. 3. Click Browse, and select the file that you want to prevent users from executing. For to prevent users from running Files And Settings Migration Wizard, %SYSTEMROOT%\system32\usmt\migwiz.exe. 4. 306 Settings Transfer Wizard. Users won't be able to run any program that matches that That way, users can't trick the system by copying the file to a different location (clever). save the policy, you must log off of Windows XP for the change to take affect. When users the program, they see an error message that says, Windows cannot open this program has been prevented by a software restriction policy. So between hiding the advertisements preventing the program file from executing, you can prevent programs such as Movie Files And Settings Transfer Wizard from distracting users. Figure 15-4: Without a Files And Settings Transfer Wizard shortcut on the Start menu, users usually try to run the wizard. Those who do will see an error message. Removing Policy Tattoos Tattoos are a significant problem with System Policy, which versions of Windows before 2000 supported. Tattooing means that policies make permanent changes to the registry. administrator must explicitly remove those policies. For example, if you create a policy has the .pol extension, and Windows applies its settings to the registry, when you remove file, the settings remain. To remove those policies, you must remove the settings from the edit the policy file to remove the settings. 307 Directory but uses System Policy, and then deploy Active Directory down the line. The upgrade process doesn't remove System Policy settings from the registry during an upgrade, so those settings remain. The shotgun approach is to remove the following keys from each computer's registry and each user's profile hive before upgrading to Windows XP; the surgical approach is to remove individual policies, but that's too tedious: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies • HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies • HKCU\Software\Policies • HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies • How you remove these keys during the upgrade is the question. This isn't an issue for disk images because the problem occurs only during an upgrade. If technicians are visiting desktops during the upgrade, and I hope they aren't doing that, they can remove these keys manually. Otherwise, run the Windows XP setup program from a batch file or script. Then you can precede the command that starts the setup program with the commands that remove these keys. Listing 15-4 is an example of an INF file that removes them. To run this INF file from a batch file, save it in a file called Tattos.inf; then add the command %SystemRoot% \System32\rundll32.exe setupapi,InstallHinfSection DefaultInstall 132 Tattoos.inf to the batch file that starts the Windows XP installation. You can also script this edit using Windows Script Host, which Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes," describes how to do. Listing 15-4: Tattoos.inf [Version] Signature=$CHICAGO$ [DefaultInstall] DelReg=Reg.Settings [Reg.Settings] HKLM,SOFTWARE\Policies HKLM,SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies There a few major issues with this script, however. The first is that the user must be an administrator to remove the policy branches from the registry. You can use the techniques described in the next section, "Elevating Processes' Privileges," to take care of this issue or rely on your software management infrastructure. The second issue is that it removes only the per-computer policies. It doesn't remove policies from users' profile hives. You won't be able to use a script like this from a logon script or allow the user to run it because they don't have the privileges required to remove the policy branches from the registry. This is true unless you've dumped all users in to the local Administrators group, which I hope you haven't done. The only reasonable solution is to load each user's profile hive in Registry Editor (Regedit), and then remove the two policy branches from it. You can more or less automate this process by writing a script that connectstoaremotecomputer,loadseachprofilehivefilethat existsin HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion \ProfileList, removes the policy branches, and then unloads the hive file. 308 Privileges are a nasty little paradox. On one hand, you don't want to add users to the Administrators group. Restricting users is a best practice that prevents human error, senseless distractions, opportunistic viruses, and so on. On the other hand, deploying software to restricted users is difficult. They don't have the privileges necessary to install most applications, Office XP. Chapter 7, "Managing Registry Security," shows you a variety of features that use to reach a happy medium between unbridled access and totally locked-down desktops. want to show you in this chapter is how to run processes elevated so you can perform many tasks I've described in locked-down environments. The sections following this one go from elegant to dodgy. Group Policy, specifically InstallAlwaysElevated policy, is one way to allow restricted users to install Windows Installerapplications. You can also use the Secondary Logon feature or Scheduled Tasks. The "AutoLogon," later in this chapter, describes a method that SMS uses, and I tend to like solution. The last two methods I describe in this section are very dodgy and can be used you if you're not careful. Group Policy The policy InstallAlwaysElevated installs Windows Installer-based applications with elevated privileges. This policy is one way to allow users to install Windows Installer-based applications they couldn't otherwise install because their accounts are in restricted groups or you've locked the desktops. Keep in mind the consequences of using this policy. Users can take advantage of this policy full control of their computers. Potentially, users can even permanently change their privileges circumvent your ability to manage their accounts and computers. Not only that, this policy opens door to viruses disguised as Windows Installer package files. For these reasons, this isn't a that I recommend in any but the most necessary scenarios when there's no other method available other than to toss users in the local Administrators group. For this policy to be effective, you must enable both the per-computer and per-user versions the same time. In other words, enable it in Computer Configuration as well as User Configuration. you're going to use this policy, I recommend that you enable it for each rollout unit prior to deploying software to it. Deploy your package, and then immediately remove the policy for that unit. You at least limit your exposure to the perils that this policy creates. NoteIf you have Active Directory and Group Policy, you shouldn't consider using InstallAlwaysElevated policy. The only reason you'd use this policy is in lieu of a software management infrastructure. If you have Active Directory and Group Policy, however, you at your disposal an elegant solution for small and medium businesses: Software Installation And Maintenance. This feature enables you to deploy software through GPOs. The best is that you can deploy Windows Installer-based software to restricted users and lockeddesktops because applications you deploy through Group Policy install with elevated privileges. The paper "Understanding Software Installation" is an excellent walkthrough subject.TheURL http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/proddocs/sag_ADEconcepts_01. 309 Secondary Logon, also called Run As, enables users to run programs in the context of accounts other than their own. For example, if I'm logged on to the computer using the account Jerry, which is in the Power Users group, but I need to run a program as an administrator, I hold down the Shift key, right-click the program's shortcut icon, click Run As, and then type the Administrator account's name and password. The program runs under the Administrator account. Because Secondary Logon relies on users knowing the credentials (which they won't know), it's not a really useful tool for software deployment. I include it here to answer the inevitable question about whether you can use it for that purpose. You can use Secondary Logon from the command prompt, too. The following shows you the syntax for this command: RUNAS [ [/noprofile | /profile] [/env] [/netonly] ] /user:Username Program RUNAS [ [/noprofile | /profile] [/env] [/netonly] ] /smartcard [/user:Username] Program /noprofile Specifies that Runas should not load the user profile. Programs load faster but often don't work properly. /profile Specifies that Runas should load the user profile. /env Uses the current environment instead of the user's. /netonly Specifies that the credentials are for remote access only. /savecred Uses the credentials previously saved by the user. /smartcard Specifies that the credentials are provided by a smartcard. /user Username Specifies the account name to use. This should be in the form of user@domain or domain \ user. Program Specifies the command to execute. Scheduled Tasks One thing I like about Scheduled Tasks is that you have remote access to the Scheduled Tasks folder on each computer. Also, you can include an account name and password in each task. You're not relying on users to provide the credentials necessary to run a job, such as installing software. For this reason, Scheduled Tasks beats Secondary Logon. In My Network Places, find the computer on which you want to add a task. Open the computer's Scheduled Tasks folder, right-click the folder, point to New, click Scheduled Task, and then rename the task. Configure the task as follows (shown in Figure 15-5). In the Task tab's Run box, type the command you want to execute. Remember to keep the command's path relative to the computer on which you're running it. • In the Task tab's Run As box, type the account in which you want to run the task, and then click Set Password to set the matching password. As shown in Figure 15-5, type the account in the form domain\username. • On the Schedule tab, configure the task's schedule. In the scenarios that I've described (deploying software and settings), you'd want to schedule the task to run once. • On the Settings tab, configure Windows XP to remove the task from the Scheduled Tasks folder after it runs. No reason to leave behind artifacts. • 310 Figure 15-5: Scheduled Tasks is a useful way to run programs on remote computers with privileges, particularly in one-off scenarios. NoteBe careful not to schedule tasks that require user interaction. Users won't see the unless they look in Windows Task Manager and view tasks for all users. For example, schedule a task to run on a computer as the local administrator and the user current console user, Jerry won't be able to interact with the task. If the task requires interaction, it'll hang. Many programs, particularly setup programs, have commandoptions that run them quietly. Install Office XP with no user interaction, for example, /qn command-line option. Also, use this method to install software or run programs interact with the current console user's profile because this method will affect only of the user you typed in the Run As box. In other words, install applications that per-computer installations or run programs that interact with HKLM. AutoLogon This is my favorite method when I don't have a software management infrastructure available deploying software: I use AutoLogon. This is the same capability that you can configure files, as described in Chapter 12, "Deploying with Answer Files," but you can deployment. Table 15-2 describes the settings you need to configure for AutoLogon. To feature, you must set the REG_SZ value AutoAdminLogon to 1. Then you set the REG_ DefaultUserName to the account that you want to use, and the REG_SZ value DefaultPassword the account's password. If the user name doesn't include the domain, set the REG_ DefaultDomainName to the name of the domain authenticating the account. Just remember 311 recommend using the domain administrator account with this technique. Instead, you can use the local Administrator account, which is always available. The last value you set is the REG_DWORD value AutoLogonCount. Set this value to the number of times you want to automatically log on to Windows XP. Table 15-2: Configuring Autologon Setting Name Type Data HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon Enable Autologon AutoAdminLogon REG_SZ 0 | 1 User name DefaultUserName REG_SZ Name User domain DefaultDomainName REG_SZ Domain User password DefaultPassword REG_SZ Password Number of times to log on to Windows XP AutoLogonCount REG_DWORD N HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce Program to run Name REG_SZ Command Here's how it works. If the AutoAdminLogon value is 1 and the AutoLogonCount value is not 0, Windows XP automatically logs on to the computer using the credentials provided in the values DefaultUserName, DefaultDomainName, and DefaultPassword. The operating system then decrements the value in AutoLogonCount. When AutoLogonCount reaches zero, Windows XP removes the values AutoLogonCount and DefaultPassword from the registry and no longer logs the user on to it automatically. The last step is to put the command you want to run in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft \Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce. Because you're putting this command in the RunOnce key, Windows XP runs this command one time and then removes the value from the registry. Each value in RunOnce is a command. The name of each REG_SZ value doesn't matter, but you store the command line you want to execute in it. An example will tie everything together for you. I want to deploy an application to a computer but the users in my organization are restricted and can't install it. I'd configure the values described in Table 15-2 so that when the current user logs off or when Windows XP restarts, the operating system automatically logs the domain Administrator on to the computer. I know that the application reboots the computer one time during the installation process, so I have to set AutoLogonCount to 2. The first time Windows XP logs the user on to it starts the setup program, and the second continues the setup program. The script shown in Listing 15-5 shows a way to automatically configure Windows XP for this scenario. Listing 15-5: Install.inf [Version] Signature=$CHICAGO$ [DefaultInstall] AddReg=Reg.Settings [Reg.Settings] HKLM,SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon,AutoAdminLogon,0,"1" HKLM,SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon,DefaultUserName,0\ 312 HKLM,SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon,DefaultPassword,0\ ," PASSWORD" HKLM,SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon,AutoLogonCount\ ,0x10001,0x02 HKLM,SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce,Setup,0\ ,"\\Server\Share\Setup.exe" The last thing that you should know about this technique is that after Windows XP automatically logs the user on to it and the task completes, you're going to want to log the account off of the computer. Otherwise, you leave Windows XP vulnerable because anybody wandering by the computer has access to the account you used. The Windows XP Support Tools, which you install from the Windows XP CD in the Support\Tools folder, contain a utility called Shutdown. After installing the application, run the command shutdown -l to log the user off of Windows XP. To restart the computer, run shutdown -r. To chain the application's setup program to the Shutdown command, use a batch file and the Start command with the /wait command-line option, which enables you to run programs synchronously, one after the other. To see the command-line options for the Shutdown command, type shutdown /? at the command prompt. Type start /? to see the options for the Start command. Severing File Associations There are two scenarios in which severing the default file associations is useful to IT professionals. The first is when you're concerned about users accidentally running scripts that they receive as mail attachments. If you don't have a virus filter on your mail server and you're not using a mail client like Outlook 2002, which blocks dangerous attachments, you can break the associations between the script files' extensions and the program class that opens them. Appendix A, "File Associations," describes how Windows XP associates file extensions with program classes. In the first scenario, you'd break the file association between the .vbs and .js file extensions and Windows Script Host. To do that, clear the default values of HKCR\.vbs and HKCR\.js. This isn't foolproof, however, because you can't break other dangerous file associations without affecting users' ability to use the operating system. The second common scenario is when deploying Office XP in coexistence scenarios. For example, if you need to keep Microsoft Access 97 in the field until after you migrate those databases to Microsoft Access 2002, you might consider blocking the installation of Access 2002 until later. However, some businesses deploy Access 2002 so that it coexists with Access 97. Technically, this scenario works, but you have to tend to your license agreement. The problem with this scenario is that the default file association for the .mdb extension will be with Access 2002, which isn't usually appropriate. Instead, you'll want to restore the association with Access 97. Better yet, to prevent confusion, don't associate the .mdb file extension with any program class. To do this, clear the default value of HKCR\.mdb, and then teach users to use one of the following methods to ensure that they're opening each database in the appropriate version of Access: Open either version of Access first, and then open the database through the File menu. • Create a shortcut for each database file that opens the file in the right version of Access. NoteIn the second scenario, you'll want to prevent Access 2002 users from accidentally converting down-level databases to the Access 2002 file format. You accomplish this • 313 them. Be sure to enable the policy Do Not Prompt To Convert Older Databases, prevents accidental database conversions. Deploying Office XP Trusted Sources If you're deploying Windows XP, odds are good that you're deploying Office XP. And deploying Office XP, odds are good that you're concerned about security. Rightfully so, security best practices that Microsoft prescribes will protect your business from most macro Those best practices are first to set the security level to high for all Office XP programs, means that users can run only signed macros from trusted sources, and then to lock trusted sources so users can't add to it. But how are users going to work if they can't run macros and they can't add sources to the list of trusted sources? When a user opens a document that contains signed code, enables those macros, and the source to the list of trusted sources, HKCU\Software\Microsoft\VBA\Trusted is where stores those certificates. To enable user to add sources to the list of trusted sources, distribute list of trusted sources along with Office XP. The deployment tools don't provide a user doing this, so here's my solution: Create a document that contains code, and then sign the code using a certificate to deploy. Repeat this for each certificate. 1. Install Office XP on a lab computer and set the security levels to high. 2. Open each document containing a certificate you want to deploy. Enable the macros, and then add the source to the list of trusted sources. Figure 15-6 shows example. Figure 15-6: High security in combination with code signing protects your business viruses. 3. Export the key HKCU\Software\Microsoft\VBA\Trusted to a REG file, and include file in your deployment. Chapter 14, "Deploying Office XP Settings," describes how registry settings with Office XP. 4. Enabling Remote Desktop Remotely 314 single screen and keyboard. In an enterprise environment, Remote Desktop enables connect to their desktop computers from any other computer in the organization. It also administrators to manage computers remotely and even install software on remote computers. My main problem with Remote Desktop is that Windows XP doesn't enable it by default. you must enable it on your disk image or enable it using the System Properties dialog Start, Control Panel, Performance And Maintenance, and System. On the Remote tab, Allow Users To Connect Remotely To This Computer check box. I've got a better solution. Use Regedit to edit the remote computer's registry. Change REG_DWORD value fDenyTSConnections in the key HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\ \Terminal Server to 0x00. Setting this value to 0x01 disables Remote Desktop. After this value, you'll be able to log on to the computer using Remote Desktop. The account edit this setting must belong to the remote computer's local Administrators group. Customizing the Windows XP Logon I'll wrap this chapter up by showing you how to customize the logon process in Windows first thing I want to show you is how to customize the screen saver that Windows XP uses displaying the Log On To Windows dialog box. There's no user interface for configuring saver. However, you can change it in the key HKU\.DEFAULT \Control Panel\Desktop. value of SCRNSAVE.EXE to the name of the screen saver file you want to use. The default Logon.scr, which is the logon screen saver. If you want to use the Starfield screen saver set SCRNSAVE.EXE to Ssstars.scr. The second customization is a bit more serious. Companies often want to display an usage policy when users log on to their computers. You can do that by setting the REG_ LegalNoticeCaption to the caption you want to display in the window's title bar, and the value LegalNoticeText to the text you want to display in the window. Both values are HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion \Winlogon. For example, LegalNoticeCaption to Corporate Policy and LegalNoticeText to Corporate policy prohibits of this computer for actual work. 315 Appendix List Appendix A: File Associations Appendix B: Per-User Settings Appendix C: Per-Computer Settings Appendix D: Group Policies Part Overview The appendices in this part describe how Windows XP organizes the registry. They also some of the more interesting settings in the registry. They don't describe every key setting, but they give you the information you'll need to find your way. Both power users professionals can use this information as a roadmap to help them navigate the thousands settings that the registry contains. 316 Overview The bulk of the registry's content is in HKCR, which is where Microsoft Windows XP associations and class registrations. These settings associate different types of files programs that can open, edit, and print them. They also register different program classes Windows XP can create objects using them. A large number of the customizations I make on a regular basis are simple ones in example, I like to add commands to the file association for folders so I can open an command prompt with the selected folder set as the current working directory. I've commands to the My Computer object so I can quickly access Registry Editor (Regedit) UI. If you master the contents of HKCR, the opportunities for tweaking Windows XP so feels the way you want are boundless. The root key HKCR is many times more complex than it was back in the days of Microsoft 95, when I wrote my first registry book. I'm not even going to attempt to describe all the values you find in HKCR. Instead, I'm going to describe the most useful subkeys and values can customize Windows XP using the same techniques that I use. Merge Algorithm Recall from Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics," that HKCR was a link to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes before Microsoft Windows 2000, but it is more complicated Windows XP merges HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes and HKCU\Software\Classes. The data is default file associations and class registrations, whereas the data in HKCU is perassociations and class registrations. HKCU\Software\Classes is really a link to HKU\SID which Windows XP loads when it loads the profile hive in HKU\SID. If the same value both branches, the value in HKCU \Software\Classes has higher precedence and wins value in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes. Chapter 1 described the benefits of this merge algorithm, but in short, it enables users applications and use file associations that don't affect other users. Thus, two users who computer can use two different programs to edit the same types of files. When you create a new key in the root of HKCR, Windows XP actually creates HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes. Windows XP doesn't provide a user interface other than Editor to add class registrations to HKCU\Software\Classes because the intention programs to register per-user program classes. When you edit an existing program class, the change is reflected in HKLM or HKCU, depending on where the program class already the program class exists in both places, Windows XP updates only the version in HKCU. File Extension Keys Files containing particular types of data usually have the same file extension. For Microsoft Word 2002 documents have the .doc file extension. Although three-character are the norm, extensions can be longer. Files with the same extension are members of 317 menu, or even specify a custom icon that Windows Explorer will use for that type of file. File associations have two parts. The first is a file extension key, HKCR\.ext. When Windows needs information about a file type, it looks up this key. The default value of the file extension contains the name of the program class associated with it, which is the second part. classes are in HKCR\progid, where progid is the program ID of the application. The default progid contains the friendly name of the application. For example, the file extension key has a default value of txtfile. Look in HKCR\txtfile to find the program class associated you'll find the description Text File. Figure A-1 illustrates this relationship with the .ani file Figure A-1: The default values of file extension keys associate these keys with program File extension keys can have a variety of subkeys and values. The following list describes common: PerceivedType. This REG_SZ value indicates the file's perceived type. Windows only version of Windows that uses this key. See "PerceivedType" below, information. • Content Type. This REG_SZ value indicates the MIME type. • OpenWithProgids. This subkey contains a list of alternate program classes associated the file extension. Windows XP displays these programs in the Other Programs Open With dialog box. • OpenWithList. This subkey contains one or more keys bearing the names applications to appear in the Recommended Programs area in the Open With See "OpenWithList," later in this appendix, for more information. • ShellNew. This subkey defines a template from which Windows XP creates a new users choose this file type on the New menu. See "ShellNew," later in this appendix, more information. • OpenWithList Sometimes users want to open files with applications that aren't associated with the file example, a user might want to open a document in WordPad instead of Microsoft Word 318 The applications you see in the Open With dialog box are registered in HKCR\Applications. contains one subkey for each application, and the subkey bears the name of the executable file. You can prevent Windows XP from displaying an application in the dialog box by adding the REG_SZ value NoOpenWith to HKCR\Applications \ program .exe. PerceivedType Perceived types are similar to file types, except perceived types refer to broad categories format types, rather than to specific types of files. Think of them as super types. Perceived include images, text files, audio files, and compressed files. In Windows XP, you can perceived type with each file type. For example, the file extensions .bmp, .png, .jpg, perceived as image files. Windows XP defines several perceived file types. In the file extension you set the REG_SZ value PerceivedType to one of the following: Image • Text • Audio • Video • Compressed • System • ShellNew When users right-click in a folder and click New, they see a list of template files that they in the folder. You can extend the New menu with additional file templates. First make HKCR contains a file extension key for the type of file you're creating. Then create the subkey under the file extension key. For example, to define a template for files with extension, create the key HKCR\.inf\ShellNew. Then in ShellNew, create one of the values: Command. Executes an application. This is a REG_SZ value command to execute. example, you use a command to launch a wizard. • Data. Creates a file containing specified data. This is a REG_BINARY value that the file's data. Windows XP ignores this value if either NullFileor FileName exists. • FileName. Creates a file that is a copy of a specified file. This is a REG_SZ contains the path and name of the file to copy. If the file is in the user profile's folder, you can leave off the path. • NullFile. Creates an empty file. This is a REG_SZ value that contains no data. NullFile exists, Windows XP ignores Data and FileName. • Program Class Keys Program classes define a program and the behaviors associated with it. Program classes HKCR\progid, where progid is a program identifier. For example, HKCR\txtfile is a program Windows XP associates file extension keys with program classes through the file extension default values. The default value of the program class contains the class's friendly proper format of a program ID is application.component.version. For example, Word.Document. 319 Program classes contain the following values and subkeys: AlwaysShowExt. This empty REG_SZ value indicates that Windows Explorer should always show the file extension, even if the user has hidden it. • CurVer. The default value of this subkey contains the program ID of the most current version. • DefaultIcon. The default value of this subkey is the default icon that Windows XP displays for files associated with this program class. This value can be either a REG_SZ or a REG_EXPAND_SZ string, but it must use the format file,index, where file is the path and name of the file containing the icon, and index is the index of the icon in the file. Optionally, if you know the exact resource ID, you can use the format file,-resource. See "DefaultIcon," on the facing page, for more information. • FriendlyTypeName. This REG_SZ value is the friendly name for the program class. You see this value in Windows Explorer. In Windows XP, this value supercedes the program class's default value, which earlier versions of Windows still use and Windows XP maintains for backwards compatibility. Still, the default value of the program class and this value should remain the same for consistency. Windows XP commonly specifies a resource instead of a string in this value. The format is @file,index or @file,-resource. • EditFlags. This is a REG_DWORD value that controls how Windows XP handles file classes linked to this program class. You can also use the EditFlags value to control users' ability to modify certain aspects of these file classes. See "EditFlags," later in this appendix, for more information. • InfoTip. This REG_SZ value contains a brief message that Windows XP displays for this program class when users position the mouse pointer at a file or folder linked to it. This value can be a string or a resource as described for the FriendlyTypeName value. • IsShortcut. This empty REG_SZ values indicates that the file is a shortcut. Windows Explorer displays the shortcut overlay on top of the file's icon. • NeverShowExt. This empty REG_SZ value indicates that Windows Explorer should never show the file extension, even if the user has configured Windows Explorer to show file extensions for known types. • Shell. This subkey contains commands (called verbs) defined for the program class. For example, the txtfile program class defines the commands for opening and printing text files. See "Shell," later in this appendix, for more information. This is the heart of most customizations you'll do in HKCR. • Special Program Classes The program classes Directory, Drive, and Folderare specialized program classes that are useful to customize. The organization of these program classes is just like any other. They contain Shell subkeys that you can customize to add, change, and remove the commands you see on their shortcut menus. The trick is knowing which program classes apply to which types of objects: Directory. This program class applies to any normal folder that you can view in Windows Explorer. • Drive. This program class applies only to drives that you see in My Computer. • Folder. This program class applies to all system folders, drives, and other folders that you can view in Windows Explorer. • The program class Folder is the most inclusive. It includes all folders and all special system folders, such as Control Panel, My Computer, and so on. As such, this is typically the program class that 320 DefaultIcon Windows XP provides default icons for every type of object you see in Windows Explorer. That includes files, drives, and so on. You can customize these icons as described in Chapter 4, "Hacking the Registry." Each file class's DefaultIcon value contains the path and name of the file containing the icon. You can assign an icon file, which has the .ico extension to this value, or you can assign an icon from program files using the formats file, index or file,- resource. Index is an incremental index number of a resource, and resource is a specific resource ID. Doing this requires that you know either the relative location of an icon in a file or the icon's exact resource ID. To find this value, you can use a third-party resource editor, many of which are shareware tools you can download from your favorite shareware Web site. EditFlags The REG_DWORD value EditFlags gives you some control of a program class's behavior. You can also use it to limit the ways in which users can change a program class. Each bit in this value represents a different setting, and Table A-1 describes the bit mask of each. See Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics," to refresh your memory on how to use bit masks. Table A-1: Bits in EditFlags Bit mask Description 0x00000001 Excludes the file class. 0x00000002 Shows file classes, such as folders, that aren't associated with a file extension. 0x00000004 Denotes that the file class has a file extension. 0x00000008 Prevents users from editing the registry entries associated with this file class. They can't add new entries or change existing entries. 0x00000010 Prevents users from deleting the registry entries associated with this file class. 0x00000020 Prevents users from adding new verbs to the file class. 0x00000040 Prevents users from changing verbs. 0x00000080 Prevents users from deleting verbs. 0x00000100 Prevents users from changing the description of the file class. 0x00000200 Prevents users from changing the icon assigned to the file class. 0x00000400 Prevents users from changing the default verb. 0x00000800 Prevents users from changing the commands associated with verbs. 0x00001000 Prevents users from modifying or deleting verbs. 0x00002000 Prevents users from changing or deleting DDE-related values. 0x00008000 Prevents users from changing the content type associate with this file class. 0x00010000 Allows users to safely use the file class's open verb for downloaded files. 0x00020000 Disables the Never Ask Me check box. 0x00040000 Denotes that the file class's file name extension is always shown, even if the user hides known file extensions in the Folder Options dialog box. 0x00100000 321 Denotes that members of this file class are not added to the Recent Documents folder. Shell File classes contain verbs, which are commands that Windows XP executes to complete certain actions. Verbs are related to the shortcut menus that you see when you right-click a file. Each item on the shortcut menu is a verb. A program class's verbs are in HKCR\progid\Shell, which contains one subkey for each verb. For example, HKCR\txtfile\Shell contains the subkeys openand print, which are the Open and Print verbs. The default value of the Shell key indicates the name of the default verb. For example, if the default value of Shellis edit, this indicates that the subkey edit is the default verb. If the default value of Shellis empty, Windows XP uses the verb open. If that verb is missing, it uses the first verb as the default. Figure A-2 shows an example that relates the Shell key to shortcut menus. Figure A-2: This figure shows the relationship of a program class's verbs to the shortcut menu. Canonical verbs are built in to the operating system. Examples of canonical verbs are Open, Edit, and Print. One thing that makes canonical verbs special is that Windows XP automatically translates them to different languages as necessary. The following list shows typical canonical verbs, some of which are special verbs that users don't see on menus: Edit. This is usually the same as Open, but enables the user to edit the file's contents. • Explore. This opens the selected folder in Windows Explorer. • Find. This opens Search Assistant with the selected folder as the default search location. • Open. This is typically the default verb, which opens a file in the associated application. • Open As. This opens the Open With dialog box. • Play. This indicates that the contents of the file will be opened and played, rather than just opening the file and waiting for the user to play it. • Print. This causes the application to print the file's contents and exit. Applications should display as little user interface as possible. • PrintTo. This is a special verb that supports drag-and-drop to printers. Users don't see this verb on shortcut menus. • Preview. This enables users to preview files without opening or editing them. An example is previewing images, rather than opening to edit them. • Properties. This opens the Name Properties dialog box. • RunAs. This is a special verb that enables users to open a file or run an application in the context of a different user. They can see this verb on shortcut menus by holding down the Shift key while right-clicking the file. • 322 changing the default verbs. To add verbs to a program class, create a new subkey for it key. The new subkey is HKCR\progid \Shell\ verb. Then set the default value of verb to want to see on the shortcut menu. You can make any character in the description a prefixing it with an ampersand (&). For example, Open in &WordPad makes the letter for that verb. Add the subkey command to verb, and set its default value to the command to execute when you choose that verb. Figure A-3 shows an example. Figure A-3: Add supplemental verbs to a program class by creating new subkeys in Shell. The default value of command needs a bit more explanation. First if the path and name program file contain spaces, you should enclose the command in quotation marks. Second %1 as a placeholder for the file name that you right-clicked. For example, assume the command Notepad "%1". If you right-click C:\Sample\Text.txt, the command is Notepad "C:\Sample\ Note that you should always enclose %1in quotation marks so that the command works file names. You see extended verbs only when you press the Shift key while right-clicking a file. extended verbs is a handy way to remove clutter from shortcut menus. For example, you extended verbs that you don't use often to shortcut menus, hiding them behind the Shift make a verb an extended verb, add the empty REG_SZvalue extendedto the verb's subkey, verb. Specialized Keys When Windows XP queries a file association, it checks the following keys in the order is, locations further down the list have a higher order of precedence than locations higher HKCR\ progid. This is the program class associated with the file extension key file extension key's default value. • HKCR\SystemFileAssociations. This key defines perceived file types, and commands with each. See "SystemFileAssociations," later in this appendix, information. • HKCR\*. This is the base class for files of all types. You see the commands in the shortcut menus of all files. • HKCR\AllFileSystemObjects. This key defines commands for all files and default, this key just adds the Send To item on shortcut menus. • The sections following this one describe some of the keys in the previous list as well as are useful for customizing Windows XP. Notably, the section "SystemFileAssociations" how to customize the commands you see on files perceived as a certain type. The "Applications" describes how to customize the Open With dialog box and more. 323 To display an application in the Open With dialog box, that application must HKCR\Applications. Each subkey in Applicationsbears the name of the program file. For Notepad is in HKCR\Applications\Notepad.exe. You must also add the OpenWithList key extension key, as described earlier in this appendix. You find combinations of the following and subkeys in the program's subkeys: NoOpenWith. This empty REG_SZvalue indicates that Windows XP should program to the Open With list. • FriendlyAppName. This REG_SZ value contains the application's friendly name. can contain a string, but it more likely contains a value in the format @file,-resource, file is the name of the program file containing the string resource identified by resource. • SupportedTypes. This subkey contains a list of file extensions, including the leading which indicates which type of files the program can open. For HKCR\Applications\mplayer2.exe\SupportedTypes contains the empty REG_SZ and .mp3, indicating that the program can open files that have these file extensions. filters the Open With list. • SystemFileAssociations The key HKCR\SystemFileAssociations is a cool way to customize the shortcut menus their perceived purposes. For example, you can customize the verbs you see for all perceive as text files or all files you perceive as image files. HKCR\SystemFileAssociations contains subkeys for the different perceived types you can value PerceivedType. You learned about this value in "PerceivedType," earlier in this Thus, setting PerceivedType in a file extension key associates that file name extension commands in this key. For example, if you set the value PerceivedType in HKCR\.inf to see the commands in HKCR\SystemFileAssociations\text on the shortcut menu of any the .inf extension. Perceived types in SystemFileAssociations include audio, image, system, and video. You can add additional perceived types to SystemFileAssociations, though. organization of HKCR\SystemFileAssociations\type is the same as program classes, learned about in the section "Program Class Keys," earlier in this appendix. Unknown When users try opening files that have an extension not registered in HKCR, Windows HKCR\Unknown. By default, the only verb in Unknown\Shell is Open As. Windows XP displays Open With dialog box for unknown types of files. COM Class Keys The key HKCR\CLSID contains COM class registrations. HKCR\CLSID\ clsid is an individual registration, where clsid is the class's class ID, which is a GUID. See Chapter 1, "Learning Basics," to learn more about GUIDs. The default value of each class registration contains class's name, but it's not all that friendly. There's not a lot to customize in HKCR\CLSID. register these classes when you install them so they can create objects from these classes. Class registrations sometimes contain the same subkeys as program classes in 324 because they are in the programmer's domain and not useful for a power user or IT professional customizing Windows XP. However, knowing the class ID of certain COM classes is useful customizing other parts of the registry. For example, adding some classes to the namespace enables you to customize the objects you see on it. You can use this same to hide icons that you see in My Network Places. Chapter 4, "Hacking the Registry," describes to show and hide desktop icons using these class IDs. Thus, Table A-2 lists the most COM classes that are in HKCR\CLSID. Table A-2: Special Classes in HKCR\CLSID Object Class identifier Shell folders ActiveX Cache {88C6C381-2E85-11D0-94DE-444553540000} Computer Search Results {1F4DE370-D627-11D1-BA4F-00A0C91EEDBA} History {FF393560-C2A7-11CF-BFF4-444553540000} Internet Explorer {871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D} My Computer {20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} My Documents {450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103} My Network Places {208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D} Offline Files {AFDB1F70-2A4C-11D2-9039-00C04F8EEB3E} Programs {7BE9D83C-A729-4D97-B5A7-1B7313C39E0A} Recycle Bin {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E} Search Results {E17D4FC0-5564-11D1-83F2-00A0C90DC849} Shared Documents {59031A47-3F72-44A7-89C5-5595FE6B30EE} Start Menu {48E7CAAB-B918-4E58-A94D-505519C795DC} Temporary Internet Files {7BD29E00-76C1-11CF-9DD0-00A0C9034933} Web {BDEADF00-C265-11D0-BCED-00A0C90AB50F} Control Panel folders Administrative Tools {D20EA4E1-3957-11D2-A40B-0C5020524153} Fonts {D20EA4E1-3957-11D2-A40B-0C5020524152} Network Connections {7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E} Printers And Faxes {2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D} Scanners And Cameras {E211B736-43FD-11D1-9EFB-0000F8757FCD} Scheduled Tasks {D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF} Control Panel icons Folder Options {6DFD7C5C-2451-11D3-A299-00C04F8EF6AF} Taskbar And Start Menu {0DF44EAA-FF21-4412-828E-260A8728E7F1} User Accounts {7A9D77BD-5403-11D2-8785-2E0420524153} Other Add Network Places {D4480A50-BA28-11D1-8E75-00C04FA31A86} Briefcase {85BBD920-42A0-1069-A2E4-08002B30309D} E-mail {2559A1F5-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0} Help And Support {2559A1F1-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0} 325 Internet {2559A1F4-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0} Network Setup Wizard {2728520D-1EC8-4C68-A551-316B684C4EA7} Run {2559A1F3-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0} Search {2559A1F0-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0} Windows Security {2559A1F2-21D7-11D4-BDAF-00C04F60B9F0} 326 Overview Chapter 4, "Hacking the Registry," and Chapter 15, "Working Around IT Problems," numerous useful registry settings. This appendix continues by describing the most settings in the Microsoft Windows XP registry. The settings in this appendix are per user; they're in HKCU. The root key HKLM contains settings, but the settings in HKCU are more interesting because these are often deployment and customization. Also, many of my favorite IT hacks are in HKCU rather because they affect per-user behaviors instead of the overall computer configuration. to describe every setting in HKCU, incidentally. Even if I could figure out every setting, documenting them all would require hundreds of pages. Instead, I'm focusing on the most interesting settings in the registry with a dab of just-plain-cool settings thrown into the mix. The resources that I used to discover these settings vary. Many times I just know what does from experience. Other times, I used Microsoft's Developer Network, Knowledge resource kits. If I get really desperate to figure out a setting, I'll install the Windows Development Kit and then search for the setting in the header files, which yields surprisingly results. The headings in this appendix follow the organization of HKCU to make finding information Thus, you'll see top-level headings for HKCU\Control Panel, and so on. This appendix describe the relationship of HKCU to HKU and the profile hives that the operating system though. For more information about this relationship, see Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics." AppEvents Windows XP associates sounds with certain events. The most notable are the sounds when you log on to or off of the operating system. You assign sounds to different events, minimizing windows, opening menus, and so on, in the Sounds And Audio Devices shown in Figure B-1. To open this dialog box, click Start; Control Panel; Sounds, Speech, Audio Devices; Sounds And Audio Devices. Figure B-1 shows which subkeys of AppEvents this dialog box's values. Many applications also associate sounds with certain events. For you can download and install sounds for use with Microsoft Office XP. These sounds provide feedback that I've missed when they're not available. If you don't like the sound that event produces, you can change the sound file associated with it. For example, you can own recording that says, "You've got spam!" and associate that sound file with Messenger's New Mail event. 327 Figure B-1: Associate sounds with events using the Sounds And Audio Devices Properties box. These events and the sounds associated with them are in HKCU\AppEvents. There subkeys in AppEvents. The first is EventLabels, which contains one subkey for each event, subkey's default value is the name of the event as you see it in Control Panel. The Schemes. This is the more interesting subkey because it actually associates sound files event. You can customize AppEvents, but doing so isn't worth the extra effort. Configuring far easier through Control Panel. My suggestion is that you configure your sounds the way them, and then export AppEvents to a REG file that you can use to configure sounds down Just make sure the sound files are available if you're using the REG file on a different Most times, you'll find all these sound files in %SYSTEMROOT%\media. Console The key HKCU\Console contains the default configuration for the MS-DOS command (console subsystem). This is the environment that hosts all character-mode applications. change console settings, click the System icon (top-left corner of the window), and Properties. After changing the properties, Windows XP prompts you to change the default or save the settings for console windows that have the same title: If you change the default settings, the operating system stores those HKCU\Console. • If you save the settings for console windows with the same title, the operating creates the subkey HKCU\Console\Title, where Title is the window's title, and custom settings in it (see Figure B-2). • 328 Figure B-2: Each subkey in Console is the title of a customized console window. typically see this key only after starting a command prompt from the Run dialog box. Like AppEvents, there's seldom a good reason to customize these settings directly. It's cool hack, and a user interface is available for all these settings. What is cool is that configured your console windows just the way you want them, you can export Console file. Then the next time you install Windows XP, import the REG file to restore your console You'll never configure a command prompt again. Control Panel The key HKCU\Control Panel has a wealth of customization possibilities. This is the Windows XP stores most of the settings you configure in Control Panel. The most subkeys are Desktop and Mouse. The following list gives you an overview of what's in subkeys, and I describe the Desktop and Mouse subkeys in more detail in the sections following one: Accessibility. This subkey stores accessibility settings you set using the Accessibility Options dialog box. To open this dialog box, click Start, Control Panel, Accessibility The values' names are self-explanatory, and you can easily map them to the user • Appearance. This subkey contains values for each scheme you see on the Appearance of the Display Properties dialog box. To open this dialog box, click Start, Control Appearance And Themes, Display. Customizing themes in the registry is too cumbersome do reliably, so stick with the user interface. • Colors. This subkey defines the color of each element in the Windows XP user ActiveBorder defines the color of each active window's border, for instance. Each REG_SZ value that contains three decimal numbers that correspond to the notation. • Current. Windows XP does not use this subkey. • Cursors. This subkey contains values that associate the name of a mouse pointer containing the mouse pointer. The file has the .cur extension, or if the pointer is the .ani extension. The value's name is the name of the pointer. This key's default contains the name of the current pointer scheme. You don't see values in this you've customized your pointers in the Mouse Pointers dialog box. To open Pointers dialog box, click Start, Control Panel, Printers And Other Hardware, Mouse. • 329 0xFFFFFF. Desktop. See "Desktop," on the facing page. • don't load. This subkey indicates which Control Panel files to load. Windows the values in don't load to decide whether to display the file in Control Panel. The system looks for a value whose name is the same as the file. If the REG_SZ value the operating system displays the file's icon in Control Panel; otherwise, it doesn't the icon. • International. This subkey contains a value called Locale that contains the ID of locale. See Intl.inf in %SYSTEMROOT%\Inf for a list of the locale IDs available. this setting in the Regional And Language Options dialog box. To see this dialog Start; Control Panel; Date, Time, Language, And Regional Options; Regional And Options. You see many other values in this subkey, which define settings such currency symbol, date format, list separator, and so on. • Keyboard. This subkey stores options configured in the Keyboard Properties dialog display the Keyboard Properties dialog box, click Start, Control Panel, Printers Hardware, Keyboard. The most interesting value in this subkey is the REG_ InitialKeyboardIndicators. If the value is 0, Windows XP turns NUMLOCK off when the value is 2, the operating system turns on NUMLOCK. The operating system current state of NUMLOCK in this value when users log off of or restart the computer. • Mouse. See "Mouse," later in this appendix. • PowerCfg. This subkey defines the schemes that you see in the Power Options To open the Power Options dialog box, click Start, Control Panel, Performance Maintenance, Power Options. The REG_SZ value CurrentPowerPolicy indicates power scheme. You find that scheme in PowerCfg\PowerPolicies. • Screen Saver.Name. These subkeys contain settings unique to each screen saver. the name of the screensaver. • Sound. This subkey contains the REG_SZ value Beep, which indicates whether XP beeps on errors. The operating system beeps on errors if this value is Yes. • Desktop The values in HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop control many aspects of the Windows interface. A good number of them don't have a user interface for configuring them, however, there's a lot of potential in this subkey for customizing the operating system. The following describes these values: ActiveWndTrkTimeout. This REG_DWORD value indicates the time in milliseconds the mouse pointer must remain over a window before Windows XP actives the window. default value is 0. • AutoEndTasks. This REG_SZ value determines whether the operating system automatically when users log off of or shut down Windows XP. If the value is 0, the system doesn't end processes automatically; instead, it waits until the HungAppTimeout expires and then displays the End Task dialog box. If the value operating system automatically ends processes. • CaretWidth. This REG_DWORD value specifies the width of the blinking caret. value is 1. This value is not in the registry by default. • CoolSwitch. Windows XP doesn't use this value. • CoolSwitchColumns. This REG_SZ value determines how many columns of icons in Task Switcher (Alt+Tab). The default value is 7. • CoolSwitchRows. This REG_SZ value determines how many rows of icons you • 330 elapses between each blink of the selection cursor. The default value is 530, which more than a half a second. DragFullWindows. This REG_SZ value determines whether users see windows' when they drag them. The default value is 1, which means users see full window when dragging. Set this value to 0 to see window outlines only. • DragHeight. This REG_SZ value indicates the height of the rectangle that determines start of a drag operation. The default value is 4. • DragWidth. This REG_SZ value indicates the width of the rectangle that determines start of a drag operation. The default value is 4. • FontSmoothing. This REG_SZ value determines whether Windows XP smoothes edges of large fonts using anti-aliasing techniques. The default value is 0, which font smoothing. To enable font smoothing, set it to 2. • ForegroundFlashcount. This REG_DWORD value indicates the number of times taskbar button flashes to get the user's attention. The default value is 3. If the timeout in ForegroundLockTimeout expires without user input, Windows XP automatically window to the foreground. • ForegroundLockTimeout. This REG_DWORD value specifies the time in milliseconds must elapse since the last user input before Windows XP allows windows to come foreground. The default value is 200000 (200 seconds). • GridGranularity. Windows XP doesn't use this value. • HungAppTimeout. This REG_SZ value controls how long Windows XP waits for to end in response to users' clicking the End Task button in Task Manager. If expires, Windows XP displays the End Task dialog box, which tells the user that did not response to the request. The default value is 5000, or five seconds. • LowPowerActive. This REG_SZ value indicates the status of the low-power alarm. value is 0, no alarm activates when batter power is low. This is the default value. is 1, an alarm activates when battery power is low. This value affects only computers use Advanced Power Management (APM). • LowPowerTimeOut. This REG_SZ value determines if a lower-power timeout is value is 0, the timeout is not set. This is the default value. If this value is 1, the timeout This value affects only computers that use Advanced Power Management (APM). • MenuShowDelay. This REG_SZ value determines the time in milliseconds that between when the user points to a menu and when Windows XP displays it. value is 400, which is almost half a second. • PaintDesktopVersion. This REG_DWORD value determines whether Windows its version and build number on the desktop. The default value is 0, which doesn't the version. Set this value to 1 to display the version of Windows XP on the desktop. • Pattern. This REG_SZ value defines a two-color, 8-pixel-by-8-pixel bitmap used background. The default value is an empty string. To define a bitmap, set this value B3 B4 B5 B6 B7 B8. BN is an 8-bit binary number that represents a row of 8 pixels. are 0 show the background color, whereas bits that are 1 show the foreground color. • ScreenSaveActive. This REG_SZ value determines whether the user has screen saver. The default value is 1, indicating that a screen saver is active. Set 0 to indicate that a screen saver is not active. • ScreenSaverIsSecure. This REG_SZ value has a default value of 0. This value whether or not the screen saver is password-protected. The value 1indicates saver is password-protected; 0 indicates that it's not protected. • ScreenSaveTimeOut. This REG_SZ value specifies the time in seconds that the must remain idle before the screen saver starts. The default is 600, which is 10 minutes. • SCRNSAVE.EXE. This REG_SZ value has no default value. This value specifies • 331 TileWallpaper. This REG_SZ value indicates how to format wallpaper on the screen. If the value is 0, Windows XP centers the wallpaper. This is the default value. If the value is 1, Windows XP tiles the wallpaper. • WaitToKillAppTimeout. This REG_SZ value indicates the time in milliseconds that Windows XP waits for processes to end after users log off of or shut down Windows XP. If the timeout expires and processes are still running, Windows XP displays the End Task dialog box, unless you've set the value AutoEndTasks to end processes automatically. The default value is 20000, which is 20 seconds. • Wallpaper. This REG_SZ value is the path and file name of the image to use for wallpaper. The default value is an empty string. You don't need to include the path if the file is in %SYSTEMROOT% or %SYSTEMROOT%\System32. If you want to include wallpaper in a default user profile, copy the image file to the user profile folder and then specify the full path in this value. • WallpaperStyle. This REG_SZ value determines how to display the wallpaper on the desktop. The default value is 0, which centers the bitmap on the desktop. Set this value to 2 to stretch the wallpaper. • WheelScrollLines. This REG_SZ value specifies the number of lines to scroll for each one-notch rotation of the mouse wheel when users don't use modifier keys such as Ctrl or Alt. The default value is 3. To turn off wheel scrolling, set this value to 0. • I left the value UserPreferencesMask out of the list because this value represents some of the most interesting and most useful ways to customize Windows XP. It's also more complicated than other values in the list because it's a bit mask that contains a large number of settings in one value. Lately, Microsoft has stayed away from using large bit masks like this one, favoring REG_DWORD values that you set to 0x00 to disable a feature and 0x01 to enable a feature. This value is a holdover from earlier versions of Windows, however. It's a 4-byte REG_BINARY value that might as well be a REG_DWORD value. The default value is 0x80003E9E, which will make more sense after you know what the different bits in this value represent. Table B-1 describes each bit. Because this is a REG_BINARY value, count the bits from left to right, beginning with 0. If this were a REG_DWORD value, you'd count the bits from right to left instead. The table indicates each setting's bit number, describes the feature that it controls, and shows the bit mask. For any feature you see in the table, setting the bit to 0 disables the feature and setting it to 1 enables the feature. If you'd like to see an example of writing a script that changes settings in UserPreferencesMask, see Chapter 4, "Hacking the Registry." Chapter 4 contains a script that updates this value to cause Windows XP to raise windows to the foreground when you point at them. For more information about doing bitwise math, see Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics." Table B-1: Bits in UserPreferencesMask Bit Bit mask Default Description 0 0x00000001 0 Active window tracking. Windows get focus when the user positions the mouse pointer over them. 1 0x00000002 1 Menu animation. This depends on the value of bit 9. 2 0x00000004 1 Combo box animation. The combo boxes slide open. 3 0x00000008 1 List box smooth scrolling. The list boxes scroll smoothly. 4 0x00000010 1 Gradient captions. The title bars display a gradient. 5 0x00000020 0 Keyboard cues. Menu hotkeys are underlined only when accessed from the keyboard. 332 6 0x00000040 0 Active window tracking Z order. Windows that gain focus through active window tracking are brought to the foreground. 7 0x00000080 1 Mouse hot tracking. 8 0x00000100 0 Reserved for future use. 9 0x00000200 1 Menu fade animation. Menus fade when closed; otherwise, menus use slide animation. 10 0x00000400 1 Selection fade animation. Lists fade after users make a section. 11 0x00000800 1 Tooltip animation. This depends on bit 12. 12 0x00001000 1 Tooltip fade animation. Tooltips fade when they close. When the bit is set to 0, tooltips use slide animation. 13 0x00002000 1 Cursor shadow. This requires more than 256 colors. 31 0x80000000 1 All user-interface effects. This enables combo box animation, cursor shadow, gradient captions, hot tracking, list box smooth scrolling, menu animation, menu hotkey underlining, selection fade, and tooltip animation. Desktop\Window Metrics The key HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\Windows Metrics contains settings that govern the dimensions of the elements you see on the screen. Some of these settings represent dimensions in pixels whereas others are actually coordinates. The following list describes the settings in Window Metrics, which you define by clicking Advanced on the Display Properties dialog box's Appearance tab, as shown in Figure B-3. 333 Figure B-3: After you've configured the settings in this dialog box, consider exporting them REG file so you can use the same settings on other computers. BorderWidth. This REG_SZ value determines the width of the borders for all windows users can't resize. The default is -15, which is 15 twips. (The minus sign indicates which is 1/1440th of an inch.) Valid values are 0to -750. • CaptionFont. This REG_BINARY value contains the name of the font to use captions. The default is Trebuchet MS. • CaptionHeight. This REG_SZ value specifies the height of caption buttons. This measured in twips, and the default value is -375. • CaptionWidth. This REG_SZ value specifies the width of caption buttons. This measured in twips, and the default value is -270. • IconFont. This REG_BINARY value contains the name of the font used to display The default value is Tahoma. • IconSpacing. This REG_SZ value specifies the width of the grid cell used to large view of an icon. This value is measured in twips and the default is -1125. • IconTitleWrap. This REG_SZ value determines whether icon text wraps or truncates it's too long to fit on one line. The default value is 1, which causes icon text causes icon text to truncate. • IconVerticalSpacing. This REG_SZ value specifies the vertical space between value is measured in twips, and the default is -1125. • MenuFont. This REG_BINARY value specifies the font to use in menu bars. value is Tahoma. • 334 MenuWidth. This REG_SZ value specifies the width of buttons on menu bars. This measured in twips, and the default is -270. • MessageFont. This REG_BINARY value contains the name of the font to use boxes. The default value is Tahoma. • MinAnimate. This REG_SZ value determines whether Windows XP uses animation minimizing and restoring windows. The default value is 1, which uses animation. value to 0 to prevent window animation. • ScrollHeight. This REG_SZ value specifies the height of horizontal scroll bars. value, measured in twips, is -255. • ScrollWidth. This REG_SZ value specifies the width of vertical scroll bars. value, measured in twips, is -255. • Shell Icon BPP. This REG_SZ value determines the color depth of icons on the The default value is 4, but valid values include 4 (16 colors), 8 (256 colors), colors), 24 (16,777,216 colors), and 32 (16,777,216 colors). • Shell Icon Size. This REG_SZ value specifies the size in pixels of icons that Explorer displays. The default value is 32. Valid values range from 16 to 48 pixels. • SmCaptionFont. This REG_BINARY value specifies the font to use for small captions. default value is Tahoma. • SmCaptionHeight. This REG_SZ value specifies the height of small captions. This measured in twips, and the default is -255. • SmCaptionWidth. This REG_SZ value specifies the width of small captions. This measured in twips, and the default is -255. • StatusFont. This REG_BINARY value specifies the font to use in status bars. value is Tahoma. • Mouse The values in HKCU\Control Panel\Mouse configure the mouse. The following list describes values, including their types and default values: DoubleClickHeight. This REG_SZ value specifies the height of the rectangle that XP uses to detect double-clicks. If two clicks are within the rectangle and within specified by the value DoubleClickSpeed, the clicks are combined into a doubledefault value is 4. • DoubleClickSpeed. This REG_SZ value specifies the amount of time that between two mouse clicks for Windows XP to consider them a double-click. If the time between clicks is greater than this timeout, the operating system considers separate clicks. The default value is 500, which is half a second, and the valid range to 900. • DoubleClickWidth. This REG_SZ value specifies the width of the rectangle that XP uses to detect double-clicks. If two clicks are within the rectangle and within specified by the value DoubleClickSpeed, the clicks are combined into a doubledefault value is 4. • MouseSpeed. This REG_SZ value determines how fast the pointer moves in mouse movements. Valid values are 0, 1, and 2. The default value is 1. When this Windows XP doesn't accelerate the mouse. When this value is 1, Windows XP mouse speed when it exceeds the value in MouseThreshold1. When this Windows XP doubles the mouse speed when it exceeds the value in MouseThreshold1, quadruples the mouse speed when it exceeds the value in MouseThreshold2. • MouseThreadhold1. This REG_SZ value, measured in pixels, specifies the mouse • 335 that triggers quadruple mouse acceleration. The default is 10. MouseTrails. This REG_SZ value specifies whether mouse trails is enabled Setting this value to 0 disables mouse trails; setting it to 1 enables them. • SnapToDefaultButton. This REG_SZ value determines whether the mouse snaps default button when you open a dialog box. The default value is 0, which turns feature. To enable this feature, set it to 1. • SwapMouseButtons. This REG_SZ value determines whether Windows XP swaps and right mouse buttons. The default value is 0, which disables this feature. To mouse buttons, set this value to 1. • Environment The key HKCU\Environment defines per-user environment variables. Normally, all you key are two values: TEMP and TMP. Both are REG_EXPAND_SZ values. You environment variables to Environment, however, and then use those from within REG_EXPAND_SZ values, and so on. Of course, you can also rely on the user interface environment variables. Click Start, Control Panel, Performance And Maintenance, System, click Environment Variables on the System Properties dialog box's Advanced tab. environment variables are at the top of the dialog box, and per-computer environment variables at the bottom. Keyboard Layout The key HKCU\Keyboard Layout defines the keyboard layouts that you configure Regional And Language Options dialog box. In essence, a keyboard layout maps the physical on your keyboard to the characters they generate. Keyboard layouts enable you to write text using a U.S. English keyboard, for example. This key sometimes contains REG_DWORD value, Attributes, which determines which key to use for Caps Lock. If this Windows XP uses the Caps Lock key. If this value is 0x10000, the operating system uses key. You sometimes see three subkeys in HKCU\Keyboard Layout: Preload. This subkey contains the ID of each keyboard layout the user chooses Regional And Language Options dialog box. Windows XP uses this data to keyboard layout when the user logs back on. The first value is 1, the second is 2, The value 1 is the default keyboard layout. • Substitutes. This subkey stores the IDs of alternate keyboard layouts. Windows this subkey when loading a keyboard layout, and if it finds a substitute, it uses that the default layout. This key is usually empty until the user chooses substitute layouts. • Toggle. This subkey specifies the key sequences that toggle between input contains the REG_SZ value Hotkey, which can have one of four values. The specifies that Left Alt+Shift switches locales. The value 2 specifies Ctrl+Shift, 3 key sequence altogether, and 4 specifies the accent grave key when the default Thai. • 336 The key HKCU\Network contains data about the user's mapped network drives. Each represents a mapped drive that Windows XP restores the next time the user logs computer. The name of the subkey is HKCU\Network\Drive, where drive is the drive letter to the network path. The following values are in each mapped drive's subkey: ConnectionType. This REG_DWORD value specifies how to connect the drive computer. A value of 1 means drive redirection and 2 means print redirection. value is 1. • ProviderName. This REG_SZ value specifies the connection's network provider. default value is Microsoft Windows Network. • ProviderType. This REG_DWORD value identifies the provider that makes connection. The value for the Microsoft LanMan provider is 0x20000. Other providers use different values. • RemotePath. This REG_SZ value contains the network connection's UNC path notation \\Computer\Share. • UserName. This REG_SZ value contains the user's name, including the domain. the user who made the network connection, and Windows XP uses it to fill the box in the Map Network Drive dialog box. • Printers The key HKCU\Printers defines the user's printer connections. The following list describes subkeys you find in this key: Connections. This subkey contains one subkey for each printer connection The the key defines the printer connection: ,,Server,Printer. Also, values in this subkey print provider and server. • DevModePerUser. This subkey contains per-user printer settings. • Settings. This subkey contains settings for Add Printer Wizard, including preferences from the last time they used the wizard to add a printer. • SessionInformation The itty-bitty key HKCU\SessionInformation contains a single value. The REG_DWORD ProgramCount indicates how many programs are running in the foreground. Each time program on the desktop, Windows XP increments this value. Each time you close a program, Windows XP decrements this value. Software The key HKCU\Software contains per-user program settings. Windows XP stores much configuration in this key, too. Microsoft standardized this key's organization, which makes settings easier because you generally know where in the registry to look for a program's Applications store their settings in HKCU\Software\Vendor\Program\Version\. Vendor is the program's publisher, Program is the name of the program, and Version is the program's 337 Figure B-4: TechSmith SnagIt stores its settings in HKCU\Software\TechSmith\SnagIt\5. By far, the most interesting subkey is Microsoft because it contains most of the Windows per-user settings. This subkey is discussed in detail in "Software\Microsoft\ \CurrentVersion," later in this appendix. Other interesting subkeys are Classes and Policies, describe in the following sections. Classes The key HKCU\Software\Classes contains per-user file associations and class registrations. really a link to HKU\SID_Classes, which you learned about in Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics." associations in HKCU have precedence over file associations in HKLM. Per-user file associations began with Microsoft Windows 2000, and they enable users to install applications without the file associations of other users who share the same computer. They also enable associations to follow them when roaming user profiles are enabled. The contents of the same as HKCR, so see Appendix A, "File Associations," for more information. Microsoft\Command Processor The MS-DOS command prompt supports file and folder name completion, as well as features. You can configure these features using Tweak UI, as described in Chapter 5, Tweak UI," or you can hack them directly in the registry. These are settings that I apply to every computer I use, so I keep them handy in a script. The following list describes the the subkey Command Processor, which configure the MS-DOS command prompt: AutoRun. This REG_SZ value, which has no default, contains a list of commands automatically when you start the MS-DOS command prompt. • CompletionChar. This REG_DWORD value specifies the ASCII character code to use for file name completion. You can set this value to 0x00, 0x01 through 0x1F, 0x40. The Tab key is 0x09 and is the default. • DefaultColor. This REG_DWORD value specifies the default background and color for the MS-DOS command prompt. The first hexadecimal digit specifies • 338 Table B-2: Values for DefaultColor Value Color 0 Black 1 Blue 2 Green 3 Aqua 4 Red 5 Purple 6 Yellow 7 White 8 Gray 9 Light Blue A Light Green B Light Aqua C Light Red D Light Purple E Light Yellow F Bright White DelayedExpansion. This REG_DWORD value specifies whether the command delays environment variable expansion. If the value is 0x01, the command prompt the exclamation point (!) as an environment variable that expands only when default is 0x00. • EnableExtensions. This REG_DWORD value determines whether commandextensions are enabled or not. Setting this value to 0x00 disables extensions. You disable extensions only when they interfere with a script language with which compatible. The default value is 0x01. • PathCompletionChar. This REG_DWORD value specifies the ASCII character key to use for path completion. Set this value to 0x00, 0x01 through 0x1F, 0x20, The Tab key is 0x09. You can use the same key that you use for file name which expands both. • Microsoft\Internet Connection Wizard The key HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Connection Wizard contains a single value that whether users have run the wizard. Unlike earlier versions of Windows, the wizard automatically when users first open Internet Explorer, so this value is only interesting inventorying. If the REG_BINARY value Completed is 0x0000, the user has not run the the value is 0x0001, the user has run the wizard. Microsoft\Internet Explorer The key HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer contains per-user settings for Internet Many of the subkeys in Internet Explorer are difficult to understand or uninteresting. settings in this key that are very useful to customize, however: 339 Online_Support to this subkey, and then set its value to the URL of your Internet Explorer support page. After customizing this setting, when users click Help, Online Support, Internet Explorer opens your support page. As far as I can discover, this is the only choice that you can redirect. IntelliForms. This subkey contains the REG_DWORD value AskUser that indicates whether Internet Explorer should ask users whether they want to use the AutoComplete feature. You can set this value to 0x00 to prevent the prompt, but in a business environment where you're more likely to disable this feature, you should disable it using Group Policy. • Main. This subkey contains many settings for Internet Explorer. For example, you can configure whether Internet Explorer shows its status bar and toolbar. • Settings. This subkey contains five values that specify the colors used in Internet Explorer: Anchor Color, Anchor Color Visited, Background Color, Text Color, and Use Anchor Color Hover. Each is a REG_SZ value in the format R,G,B, where you specify each color component, red, green, and blue, using decimal numbers 0 through 255. • Toolbar. This subkey contains information about the Internet Explorer toolbars. The REG_DWORD value Locked indicates whether the toolbars are locked. The REG_SZ value LinksFolderName contains the name of the annoying Links folder, which you can rename if you like so that it better matches the contents of your Favorites folder. You can also create the REG_SZ value BackBitmap to customize the bitmap that you see on the toolbar. • TypedURLs. This subkey contains a list of the URLs that users type in the address bar. You can quickly clear this history list by removing this subkey. • The subkey Internet Explorer contains two other subkeys that enable some pretty cool customizations. The first subkey is MenuExt. This subkey enables you to extend Internet Explorer's menus with your own scripts. The second subkey is SearchURL, which makes searching the Internet a snap. You add custom search URLs to this subkey, and then search the Internet by typing one of their names in the address bar. It's a real timesaver and one of my all-time favorite customizations, which I also describe in Chapter 4, "Hacking the Registry." Microsoft\Internet Explorer\MenuExt Right-click a Web page, and Internet Explorer displays a shortcut menu. You can customize this shortcut menu by adding commands to it that you link to scripts in an HTML file. For example, you can add a command to the shortcut menu that opens the current Web page in a new window or highlights the selected text on it. Internet Explorer looks for extensions in HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer \MenuExt. Add this key if it doesn't exist, and then add a subkey for each command that you want to add. Then set that subkey's default value to the path and name of the HTML file containing the script that carries out the command. For example, to add the command Magnify to the shortcut menu that runs the script in the HTML file C:\Windows\Web \Magnify.htm, add the subkey Magnify and set its default value to C:\Windows\Web\Magnify.htm. When you choose this command on Internet Explorer's shortcut menu, it executes the script that the file contains. Then you need to create Magnify.htm. Listing B-1 on the next page is Magnify.htm. external.menuArguments is a property that contains the window object in which you executed the command. Because you have access to the window object, you can do almost anything in that window, such as reformatting its contents, and so on. Listing B-1: Magnify.htm <HTML> <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" defer> 340 var objRange = objSel.createRange(); objRange.execCommand( "FontSize", 0, "+2"); </SCRIPT> </HTML> You can choose the shortcut menus to which Internet Explorer adds your command. In the subkey you created for the extension, add the REG_DWORD value Contexts, and apply the bit masks shown in Table B-3 to it. For example, to limit the previous example so that Internet Explorer displays it only for text selections, add the REG_DWORD value Contexts to Magnify, and set it to 0x10. Table B-3: Internet Explorer Menu Extensions Bit mask Menu 0x01 Default 0x02 Image 0x04 Control 0x08 Table 0x10 Text Selection 0x11 Anchor 0x12 Unknown Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL Search URLs are a convenient way to use different Internet search engines. For example, you might have a search URL called shop that searches eBay. As shown in Figure B-5, Type shop casino chip (yes, I collect them) in the address bar to automatically search eBay for all items that contain the words casino and chip. Figure B-5: Customizing the key SearchURL is the ultimate shortcut for searching the Internet. HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL is where you create search URLs. If you don't see this subkey, create it. Then add a subkey for each search prefix you want to use. To use the example I just gave you, create the subkey shop. Set the default value of the prefix's subkey to the URL of the search engine. Use %s as a placeholder for the search string. Internet Explorer replaces the %s with any text you type to the right of the prefix. In my example, set it to http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?MfcISAPIComm and= GetResult&ht=1&SortProperty=MetaEndSort&query=%s. Add the REG_SZ values shown in Table B-4 to the prefix key you created. These values describe what to substitute for special characters in your search string, including a space, percent sign (%), ampersand (&), and plus sign (+). These characters have special meaning when submitting forms to Web sites, so you must substitute a plus sign for a space, for example, or %26 for an ampersand. Thus, the browser translates the string casino & chip to casino+%26+chip. Table B-4: Values in SearchURLs 341 Name Data <space> + % %25 & %26 + %2B Finding the URL to use is easy. Open the search engine that you want to add to Internet Explorer's search URLs, and then search for something. When the browser displays the results, copy from the address bar to the default value of the search URL you're creating, replacing your word with a %s. For example, after searching eBay for sample, the resulting http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&ht=1&SortPrope rty=MetaEndSort&query= Replacesamplewith%sto http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?MfcISAPICommand=GetResult&ht=1&SortPrope rty= MetaEndSort&query=%s. Microsoft\MessengerService The key HKCU\Software\Microsoft\MessengerService contains the settings for Windows Messenger: AlwaysOnTop. This REG_BINARY value is 0x01 when you've configured Windows Messenger to appear on top of other windows; otherwise, it's 0x00. • DSBkgndMode. The first time users close Windows Messenger, this REG_BINARY displays a prompt that tells them it's running in the background. Setting this REG_ value to 0x01 disables that prompt. • FirstTimeUser. This REG_BINARY value is 0x01 for first-time users, and it's old-timers. That's the best explanation I've got. • FtReceiveFolder. This REG_BINARY value contains the folder into which Messenger downloads files it receives. The default value is the My Received Files the user's My Documents folder. • PassportBallon. This REG_BINARY value indicates the number of times that Messenger has displayed its prompt to sign up for a Passport. To prevent it from prompting to create a Passport, set this value to 0x0a.(Remember to reverse the bits because REG_BINARY value.) • PassportWizard. This REG_BINARY value indicates whether the user has Passport Wizard. If this value is 0x01, the user has run the wizard. • Server. This REG_SZ value specifies the server to which Windows Messenger connects. messenger.hotmail.com;64.4.13.143:1863 is the default value. • StatusBar. This REG_BINARY value indicates whether to display the status bar. value is 0x01, you see the status bar. • TabsShowHide. This REG_BINARY value indicates which tabs to show or hide. • Toolbar. This REG_BINARY value is 0x01 if Windows Messenger displays its otherwise, it's 0x00. • WindowMax. This REG_BINARY value is 0x01 when the Windows Messenger window maximized; otherwise, it's 0x00. • WindowRect. This REG_BINARY value indicates the coordinates of the normal Messenger window. • 342 This is where Office XP stores its per-user settings. In reality, most IT professionals will tools outlined in Chapter 14, "Deploying Office XP Settings," instead of customizing these for deployment. However, a brief tour of these settings is useful, and a handful of settings important enough to explain a bit more about them here. First I'll describe what's in HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office. At the top of this key, you'll subkey for each version of Office that's installed on the computer. For example, you'll subkeys 10.0 and 9.0. Version 10.0 is Office XP. Note that installing Office XP creates the 9.0, and 10.0, even though you don't have Office 2000 or an earlier version of Office computer. You'll also see a subkey for the different programs in Office at the top of Office. user settings are in HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\version, information about addHKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\program, and all Office applications share this information. The subkey 10.0 contains the majority of the Office XP settings, whereas the remaining contain only a handful of settings. For example, in the key 10.0, you see subkeys application, Excel, FrontPage, Outlook, Word, and so on. You also see the subkey Common, contains settings that are common to all the programs in Office XP. Some of these settings important to know about for two reasons. First the more you understand about them, successful you'll be at customizing Office XP. Second you can deploy some Office XP settings as registry values in Custom Installation Wizard. Simply put, the only way to customize REG_BINARY value in Custom Installation Wizard is by using the Add/Remove Registry screen. You can't customize these settings on the Change Office User Settings screen. description of these and other important settings: First-run settings. The first time a user starts one of the Office XP programs, goes through its first-run process to configure the computer for the user. It prompts for his or her name and initials, for example, and it customizes settings HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office. A handful of values prevent the first-run process starting a second time. These values are in HKCU\Software\Microsoft \Office\ value UserData in the subkey Common is 0x01 after the first-run process. You'll value in each program's subkey, too. A second, related setting is FirstRun. This indicates whether the first-run process is complete or not. You find this value in subkeys of HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\version: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Common\General → HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Excel\Options → HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Outlook\Setup → HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\PowerPoint\First Run → HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Word\Options → • Toolbar settings. Office XP stores most programs' toolbar settings in REG_BINARY This means that you can't customize them using the Change Office User Settings Custom Installation Wizard. You can capture those toolbar settings using Profile described in Chapter 14, but what if you don't want to deploy an OPS file? The solution customizethetoolbarsandthene HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\Common\Toolbars to a REG file. Import that into your transform using the Add/Remove Registry Entries screen of Custom Installation Wizard. Office XP maintains a number of other REG_BINARY values that you can the same way. If you don't find a setting in the Change Office User Settings screen, down the setting using the techniques you learn about in Chapter 8, "Finding Settings." The setting is likely a REG_BINARY value. • 343 The key HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Search Assistant contains the configuration for the Explorer and Internet Explorer Search Assistant. The REG_SZ value Actor contains the the character that the assistant uses. The REG_DWORD value UseAdvancedSearchAlways if you've configured the assistant to always display its advanced search features. You don't REG_DWORD value SocialUI unless you've turned off the animated character. If this value you'll see the animated character. If this value is 0x00, you won't. Most folks don't like search interface, and they can restore it to a user interface more similar to the one in Windows by setting SocialUI to 0x00 and UseAdvancedSearchAlways to 0x01. I admit that I like the so I usually leave SocialUI set to 0x01 but use the advanced search features. Search Assistant's history list is in the subkey ACMru. This subkey contains a variety depending on the types of things for which you've searched. For example, if you search folders, you'll see the subkey 5603, and that subkey contains a list of the different search you search the Internet using Search Assistant, you'll see the subkey 5001. You can remove subkey individually to clear a specific type of query's history list, or you can remove the to clear all of Search Assistant's history lists. Table B-5 contains a list of the subkeys that in ACMru. Table B-5: History Lists in Search Assistant Subkey Description 5001 Internet 5603 Files and folders 5604 Pictures, music, and video 5647 Printers, computers, and people Microsoft\VBA\Trusted The key HKCU\Software\Microsoft\VBA\Trusted is an important subkey if you're deploying XP. This is where Office XP stores its list of trusted sources. When users open a document contains signed code, enable those macros, and then add the source to the list of trusted Office XP stores those certificates in this key. The reason this key is important is businesses should lock the list of trusted sources so that users can't add to it, and then security level to high. This prevents users from accidentally running malicious code. The problem with this scenario is that users can't run legitimate macros that they require jobs. The solution is to distribute the list of trusted sources along with Office XP, but the tools don't provide a user interface for doing this. So here's my solution: Create a document that contains code and then sign the code using a certificate deploy. Repeat this for each certificate. 1. Install Office XP on a lab computer and set the security levels to high. 2. Open each document containing a certificate you want to deploy. Enable the macros and then add the source to the list of trusted sources. Figure B-6 shows example. 3. 344 Figure B-6: High security in combination with code signing protects your business viruses. Export the key HKCU\Software\Microsoft\VBA\Trusted to a REG file, and include file in your deployment. Chapter 14, "Microsoft Office XP Settings," describes how registry settings with Office XP. 4. Policies Windows XP stores policies in the key HKCU\Software\Policies, the preferred registry-based policies. These are per-user policies, so they are in the HKCU branch registry. Restricted users don't have permission to change the Policies subkey, which prevents from circumventing policies by editing the registry. Windows XP supports hundreds of enable IT professionals to control users' experiences, lock down the desktop, and so on. "Using Registry-Based Policy," shows you how to customize policies by building administrative templates. Appendix D, "Group Policy," lists all the policies that Windows in this key. Very often, using policies is the best and most interesting way to customize Windows example, many of the customizations you learn about in Chapter 4, "Hacking the Registry," policy settings in the registry to change behaviors. Some of the most interesting policies about in Chapter 4 change how the Start menu and taskbar look and feel. Still other policies you to obliterate annoying behavior. Ever wanted to prevent Windows Messenger from You can set a policy in this subkey that does that. Although editing the registry directly is one way to customize these policies, there are better The first way is to use Group Policy Editor to edit the local Group Policy Object ( provides a user interface for the policies, limiting your settings to valid choices. Chapter how to create a local GPO. In short, type gpedit.msc in the Run dialog box, and then policies under Computer Configuration and User Configuration in Administrative Templates. second way is to write scripts that change policies. I use scripts when I want to repeat setting many times, such as when I'm configuring my user profile on multiple computers reinstall Windows XP on computers repeatedly. Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes," you how to write scripts to edit the registry. Personally, my favorite method is writing INF 345 This branch of HKCU is one of the most interesting because this is where you find Windows XP per-user settings. The following list describes some of the more interesting and the sections following this one go into more detail: Applets. This subkey contains subkeys for many of the different programs that Windows XP. For example, it contains the subkeys Regedit, SysTray, Tour, and Control. If you don't want to see the tour when you create a new user profile, REG_DWORD value RunCount in the subkey Tour to 0x00, for example. • Internet Settings. This subkey contains Internet Explorer settings. A large number settings are security settings, such as security zones. • NetCache. This subkey contains settings for the Windows XP Offline Files contains the subkey AssignedOfflineFolders, which is a list of the offline folders that user through Group Policy. • Policies. This subkey is the per-user policy branch that Windows XP inherits versions of Windows. You learn about policies in Chapter 6, "Using Registry-Based Appendix D, "Group Policies," lists the policies that are available in this key, which of the best customizations for Windows XP. • Run. This subkey contains programs that run after the user logs on to the computer. name of each REG_SZ value is arbitrary. The value's data contains the command execute after the user logs on to the computer. • RunOnce. This subkey contains programs that run after the user logs on to the The name of each REG_SZ value is arbitrary, and the value's data contains the command execute after the user logs on to the computer. The difference between this key that Windows XP removes commands from this key after they've run, so they only time. • HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer is one of the most interesting in the registry. For that reason, the remaining sections in this appendix discuss this beginning with the Advanced subkey. Explorer\Advanced HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Advanced contains Windows Explorer and the Start menu. You configure these settings in two places. The Folder Options dialog box. The second is the Taskbar And Start Menu Properties dialog B-6 describes these settings. Table B-6: Start Menu Settings Name Data Folder Options dialog box ClassicViewState 0x00—Use the classic folder view 0x01—Don't use the classic folder view SeparateProcess 0x00—Don't run folders in separate processes 0x01—Launch folders in separate processes DisableThumbnailCache 0x00—Cache thumbnails 346 0x01—Do not cache thumbnails FolderContentsInfoTip 0x00—Do not display file sizes in folder tips 0x01—Display file sizes in folder tips FriendlyTree 0x00—Don't display simple folder tree 0x01—Display simple folder tree in Folders list Hidden 0x01—Don't show hidden files and folders 0x02—Show hidden files and folders HideFileExt 0x00—Show known file extensions 0x01—Don't show known file extensions NoNetCrawling 0x00—Don't search for network folders, printers 0x01—Search for network folders, printers PersistBrowsers 0x00—Don't restore previous folders 0x01—Restore previous folders at logon ShowCompColor 0x00—Don't display compressed files in color 0x01—Display compressed files in color ShowInfoTip 0x00—Don't display tips for folders, desktop items 0x01—Display tips for folders, desktop items ShowSuperHidden 0x00—Don't show protected operating system files 0x01—Show protected operating system files WebViewBarricade 0x00—Don't display contents of system folders 0x01—Display contents of system folders Customize Classic Start Menu dialog box StartMenuAdminTools NO—Hide Administrative Tools YES—Display Administrative Tools CascadeControlPanel NO—Display Control Panel as link YES—Display Control Panel as menu CascadeMyDocuments NO—Display My Documents as link YES—Display My Documents as menu CascadeMyPictures NO—Display My Pictures as link YES—Display My Pictures as menu CascadePrinters NO—Display Printers as link YES—Display Printers as menu IntelliMenus 0x00—Don't use personalized menus 347 0x01—Use personalized menus CascadeNetworkConnections NO—Display Network Connections as link YES—Display Network Connections as menu Start_LargeMFUIcons 0x00—Show small icons on Start menu 0x01—Show large icons on Start menu StartMenuChange 0x00—Disable dragging and dropping 0x01—Enable dragging and dropping StartMenuFavorites 0x00—Hide Favorites 0x01—Display Favorites StartMenuLogoff 0x00—Hide Log Off 0x01—Display Log Off StartMenuRun 0x00—Hide Run command 0x01—Display Run command StartMenuScrollPrograms NO—Don't scroll Programs menu YES—Scroll Programs menu Customize Start Menu dialog box Start_ShowControlPanel 0x00—Hide Control Panel 0x01—Show Control Panel as link 0x02—Show Control Panel as menu Start_EnableDragDrop 0x00—Disable dragging and dropping 0x01—Enable dragging and dropping StartMenuFavorites 0x00—Hide Favorites menu 0x01—Show the Favorites menu Start_ShowMyComputer 0x00—Hide My Computer 0x01—Show My Computer as link 0x02—Show My Computer as menu Start_ShowMyDocs 0x00—Hide My Documents 0x01—Show My Documents as link 0x02—Show My Documents as menu Start_ShowMyMusic 0x00—Hide My Music 0x01—Show My Music as link 0x02—Show My Music as menu 348 Start_ShowMyPics 0x00—Hide My Pictures 0x01—Show My Pictures as link 0x02—Show My Pictures as menu Start_ShowNetConn 0x00—Hide Network Connections 0x01—Show Network Connections as link 0x02—Show Network Connections as menu Start_AdminToolsTemp 0x00—Hide Administrative Tools 0x01—Show on All Programs menu 0x02—Show on All Programs menu and Start menu Start_ShowHelp 0x00—Hide Help and Support 0x01—Show Help and Support Start_ShowNetPlaces 0x00—Hide My Network Places 0x01—Show My Network Places Start_ShowOEMLink 0x00—Hide Manufacturer Link 0x01—Show Manufacturer Link Start_ShowPrinters 0x00—Hide Printers and Faxes 0x01—Show Printers and Faxes Start_ShowRun 0x00—Hide Run command 0x01—Show Run command Start_ShowSearch 0x00—Hide Search command 0x01—Show Search command Start_ScrollPrograms 0x00—Don't scroll Programs menu 0x01—Scroll Programs menu Windows XP defines templates, similar to the policy templates that define how to collect policies, for these settings. You find these templates in the following places: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Start Menu\ contains templates for the settings in the Advanced Start Menu Options Customize Classic Start Menu dialog box. To open this dialog box, click Start, Control Appearance And Themes, and Taskbar And Start Menu. Then on the Start Menu the Classic Start Menu option, and click Customize. • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Start Menu\ contains templates for the settings on the Advanced tab of the Customize Start Menu box. To open this dialog box, click Start, Control Panel, Appearance And Themes, Taskbar And Start Menu. Then on the Start Menu tab, select the Start Menu click Customize. • 349 tab. To open this dialog box, click Start, Control Panel, Appearance And Themes, Folder Options. Explorer\AutoComplete The subkey AutoComplete contains a single value that controls the AutoComplete Windows Explorer. If the REG_SZ value AutoComplete is Yes, Windows Explorer AutoComplete; otherwise, it doesn't. Explorer\ComDlg32 The subkey ComDlg32 contains two subkeys. Both are history lists. To clear the history common dialog boxes use, delete both subkeys. The first is LastVisitedMRU, which contains folders that you've opened. The second is OpenSaveMRU, which is a little more complicated. Within the key OpenSaveMRU are subkeys for different types of files. For example, you see the subkey doc in OpenSaveMRU lists all the files with the .doc extension that you've opened. The subkey * contains files you've opened in the common dialog boxes, regardless of their extensions. Thus, the dialog boxes can display a history list by type or display all the files in the history. Explorer\HideDesktopIcons In HideDesktopIcons, you see two subkeys: ClassicStartMenu and NewStartPanel. The determines which icons to hide when Windows XP is using the classic Start menu. The determines which icons to hide when Windows XP is using the new Start menu. REG_DWORD value named for the icon's class ID to either subkey to hide it in that view. value to 0x01. Hide the Recycle Bin icon by creating a REG_DWORD value {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E} in the subkey HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel, for example, and then set it to 0x01. Click the desktop and then press F5 to refresh. Appendix "File Associations," lists the class IDs you might want to hide. Explorer\HideMyComputerIcons The key HideMyComputerIcons enables you to hide icons in My Computer. To hide Computer, add a REG_DWORD value to HideMyComputerIcons—the name is the class icon you want to hide—and set it to 0x01. See Appendix A, "File Associations," for a IDs. Refresh Windows Explorer to see your changes. Explorer\MenuOrder HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MenuOrder contains the sort the Favorites menu and Start menu. The subkey Favorites contains the sort order of the menu. The subkey Start Menu contains the sort order of the classic Start menu, and Start Menu2 contains the sort order of the new Start menu. Deciphering the contents of keys is next to ridiculous, but you can remove any of them to re-sort the corresponding alphabetical order. For example, to restore the All Programs menu to alphabetical order, subkey Start Menu2. To restore the Favorites menu in both Windows Explorer and Explorer, remove the subkey Favorites. 350 The subkey RecentDocs is the list of recent documents that you see on the Start menu. key are subkeys for different types of files and folders. For example, you see the subkey all the files with the .txt extension that you've opened. To clear your list of recent documents, remove this subkey. Along with this subkey, you must remove the documents shortcuts Windows XP creates in your profile folder, %USERPROFILE%\Recent. Explorer\RunMRU The subkey RunMRU contains a list of programs that you've run using the Run dialog box. remove individual programs from this list or delete the RunMRU subkey to clear the list of Explorer\User Shell Folders Special folders include the My Documents, My Pictures, and Favorites folders, among many Table B-7 shows the special folders that Windows XP creates after a fresh installation default paths. The first column contains each folder's internal name as Windows XP programs know it. The second column contains each folder's default path, which almost starts with %USERPROFILE%, making these folders part of each user's profile folder. "Deploying User Profiles," describes these user profile folders in depth. Table B-7: Special Folders Name Default path AppData %USERPROFILE%\Application Data Cache %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files Cookies %USERPROFILE%\Cookies Desktop %USERPROFILE%\Desktop Favorites %USERPROFILE%\Favorites History %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\History Local AppData %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data Local Settings %USERPROFILE%\Local Settings My Pictures %USERPROFILE%\My Documents\My Pictures NetHood %USERPROFILE%\NetHood Personal %USERPROFILE%\My Documents PrintHood %USERPROFILE%\PrintHood Programs %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs Recent %USERPROFILE%\Recent SendTo %USERPROFILE%\SendTo Start Menu %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu Startup %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup Templates %USERPROFILE%\Templates HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\User Shell Folders is the Windows XP stores the location of per-user special folders. Each value in this key folder, as shown in Table B-7. These are REG_EXPAND_SZ values, so you can use environment variables in them. Use %USERPROFILE% in a path to direct the folder somewhere inside 351 \\Server\Share\%USERNAME%\Favorites, where \\Server\Share is the server and share thefolders.WindowsXPupdatesasecondkey, \Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders, with the paths from Folders the next time the user logs on to the operating system, so you don't have to update fact, Microsoft's documentation says Windows XP doesn't use Shell Folders. 352 Overview In Appendix B, "Per-User Settings," you learned about many of the settings that Microsoft XP creates for users in the registry. These settings are in HKCU. This appendix is per-computer settings in HKLM. The branch HKLM\SOFTWARE is similar to HKCU\Software. In fact, the organization of almost identical. The difference is that these settings are computer-oriented; they affect who logs on to the computer. However, you find some settings in both places, HKLM\SOFTWARE and HKCU\Software. This is common with Microsoft Office XP and many of the policies XP, for example. Most often, when a setting is in both places, the version in HKLM has precedence over the same setting in HKCU. Only when an administrator removes the setting from (restricted users don't usually have permission to change settings in HKLM) do preferences mean anything. The only exception to this rule is the file associations SOFTWARE\Classes in both root keys. File associations in HKCU have precedence associations in HKLM. This order of precedence is necessary to enable users to have associations. Other branches in HKLM are unique, though. Windows XP stores the computer's configuration HKLM\SYSTEM. The operating system's lower-level settings are in this branch, too. Lowersettings include the configuration of the computer's network connections, device drivers, and so on. Windows XP also stores local security data in HKLM. Something else unique that it contains more links than HKCU does. Recall that links are aliases for other subkeys, Windows XP uses links in HKLM to support features such as hardware profiles and configuration sets. This appendix describes these links so you can better understand how different registry relate to each other. This appendix outlines the organization of HKLM, describing its interesting and useful subkeys. by no means do I cover this root key's entire contents. Instead, I've focused on settings most likely to customize or need to understand as a power user or IT professional. Also, describe the hive files or how Windows XP loads them into HKLM because Chapter 1, "Learning Basics," already covers this. HARDWARE Windows XP re-creates HKLM\HARDWARE every time the operating system starts. contains configuration data that the operating system detects when it starts. This branch few values to customize because the branch's contents are volatile. Some values in it are inventorying the computer's hardware, though. For example, you can read its settings to thecomputer'sprocessor.Youfindthisvalueandsimilar HKLM\HARDWARE\DESCRIPTION, and they're easy-to-read REG_SZ values. The following list is an overview of the HARDWARE key's subkeys, and the sections following one give more details about some of them: ACPI. This subkey describes the computer's ACPI BIOS. The values in this subkey cryptic. • 353 DEVICEMAP. This subkey maps the devices that the hardware recognizer detects device drivers in the SYSTEM branch of HKLM. • RESOURCEMAP. This subkey maps the computer's resources to the devices them. Like the ACPI subkey, this subkey is difficult to understand. Resources RESOURCEMAP subkey maps include bus number, DMA channels, interrupt memory ranges, and I/O ports. Tip You can use System Information to see the computer's hardware configuration Windows XP has been spending its resources. To use this feature, in the box, type msinfo32. The data that System Information displays is comprehensive. Especially helpful is that you can use it to look at remote computers' configurations. it sure beats scrounging around the registry for the same information. • DESCRIPTION Each time Windows XP boots, its hardware recognizer collects information about the hardware and stores it in HKLM\HARDWARE\DESCRIPTION\System. In this branch, you subkeys: CentralProcessor. This subkey contains one subkey for each CPU that the recognizer finds on the computer. CentralProcessor\0 is the subkey for the first CentralProcessor\1 is the second, and so on. Each subkey contains values that describe processor. For example, the value ~MHz describes the approximate speed of the • FloatingPointProcessor. This subkey contains one subkey for each FPU hardware recognizer finds on the computer. The organization is similar CentralProcessor. Because Pentium-compatible processors contain onboard subkey usually corresponds to CentralProcessor. • MultifunctionAdapter. This subkey contains one subkey for each bus that the recognizer detects. The subkeys are 0, 1, and so on. Each subkey contains the value Identifier, which is a description of the bus: PCI and ISA. Below each bus's subkeys that describe the devices attached to the bus. This key describes only devices; it's not all-inclusive. • DEVICEMAP The DEVICEMAP subkey is another interesting subkey of HKLM\HARDWARE. It maps that the hardware recognizer detects to the services that drive them. Different device classes different subkeys in DEVICEMAP. For example, this subkey typically contains the KeyboardClass and PointerClass. You don't find subkeys for every device in the computer, It contains subkeys only for those devices that Windows XP requires to start the computer. you don't find subkeys for sound cards and the like. These subkeys contain one or more values. The values' names are the devices' names. data points to the subkeys that define the services associated with those devices. For example, subkey DEVICEMAP\KeyboardClass contains the value \Device\KeyboardClass0, and \REGISTRY\MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Kbdclass. This indicates that drivingthekeyboardisintheregistry,inHKLM,andinthe SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\Kbdclass. 354 The key HKLM\SAM\SAM is a link to HKLM\SECURITY\SAM. You learn about the subkey in the next section. This key is where the Security Account Manager (SAM) creates computer's security database. Examining the contents of this key is interesting, but customize it. You're better off managing local security using the User Accounts dialog box. Windows XP protects the SAM key by preventing access to it. The key's access control doesn't even allow the Administrators group to read its contents, much less members of or Power Users groups. You can give yourself Read permission to view the key, however, member of the Administrators group, because this group owns the SAM key. If you want key, do it on a lab computer. Don't tamper with the SAM key on a production computer. yourself Read permission, select HKLM\SAM\SAM; click Edit, Permissions; Administrators group; and then select the Read check box in the Allow column. If you don't lab computer available, just look at Figure C-1, which shows the contents of this key. Figure C-1: You can't normally see the contents of the SAM key, but this figure shows what see if you give the Administrators group permission to read it. The key HKLM\SAM\SAM\Domains contains two subkeys. The first subkey, Account, local computer accounts, user accounts, and groups. The second subkey, Builtin, describes accounts and groups. You manage these subkeys using the User Accounts dialog subkeys contain the same three subkeys: Aliases, Groups, and Users. These subkeys computer's local accounts and membership in the computer's local groups. SECURITY The key HKLM\SECURITY contains Windows XP security data. You normally can't see the of this key, but you can give the Administrators group permission to read it so that you can it. The section "SAM," on the facing page, shows you how to do that. The SECURITY key the subkey SAM. It also contains the subkey Policies. This subkey defines non-registry-based policies for the computer. The key Policies\Accounts has one subkey SID in the local security database. Each SID contains four subkeys: 355 SecDesc. This subkey contains the SID's security descriptor. • Sid. This subkey defines the groups to which the SID belongs. • SOFTWARE The key HKLM\SOFTWARE is second in interest only to HKCU\Software. It contains persoftware settings, including many Windows XP settings. Because Windows XP applications store settings as per-user settings, this branch is a bit slimmer than HKCU but it still contains numerous settings that are useful for customization. The types of settings find in HKLM\SOFTWARE are typically those that an administrator defines. HKLM\SOFTWARE contains per-computer settings, any changes you make here affect who log on to the computer. Also, restricted users don't have permission to change HKLM. The key HKLM\SOTWARE is organized similarly to the way HKCU\Software is Applications store settings in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Vendor\Program\Version\. Vendor is the program's publisher, Program is the name of the program, and Version is the program's number. Often, Version is CurrentVersion. This branch also contains a handful of subkeys follow this organization. For example, HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies contains per-computer The sections following this one describe the most interesting and useful HKLM\SOFTWARE. Classes The key HKLM\CLASSES contains per-computer file associations. This key contains majority of file associations, as opposed to HKCU\Classes, which contains perassociations. Windows XP merges both subkeys to form HKCR. Appendix A, "File Associations," describes HKCR in detail. Clients The key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Clients defines the client programs that Internet Explorer with different Internet services. You configure these clients on the Programs tab of Options dialog box, shown in Figure C-2. For example, you can choose the mail client that Explorer uses when you click a mailto link, or you can choose the news client to use when a news link. These choices also determine the programs that Internet Explorer launches choose one of the tools on the Tools menu. 356 Figure C-2: You associate client programs with Internet services by using the Programs The Clients key contains six subkeys by default: Contacts, Internet Call, Mail, Media, StartMenuInternet. The default value of each subkey specifies the name of the application thedefaulttoolforthatcategory.Forexample,ifthedefault HKLM\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail is Outlook Express, then Outlook Express is the default that Internet Explorer starts when you click a mailto link. Drill down a bit further and you find one subkey for each client program. For example, Clients\ contains the Hotmail, MSN Explorer, and Outlook Express subkeys. The organization subkeys is almost the same as the organization of the subkeys in HKCR. Typically, you subkeys Protocols and shell under each client program's subkey. The subkey Protocols protocolsassociatedwiththeapplication.Forexample, HKLM\SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Outlook Express\Protocols describes the command to users click a mailto link on a Web page. The subkey shell defines the command to run chooseanoptiononInternetExplorer'sToolsmenu.Thesubk \SOFTWARE\Clients\Mail\Outlook Express\shell describes the command to run when Tools, Mail And News, Read Mail in Internet Explorer. Microsoft\Active Setup A variety of Windows XP components, notably Internet Explorer components, still use Active The key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup contains these components' registrations. 357 The key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Active Setup\Installed Components is each component's registration.Eachsubkeyisacomponent.Forexample,the {2179C5D3-EBFF-11CF-B6FD-00AA00B4E220} is for NetShow. Within each subkey, several values, some more interesting than others. First the REG_BINARY value indicates whether the component is installed or not. The value is 0x0001 if the component installed; if not, the value is 0x0000. The REG_SZ value Version contains the component's The most interesting value is the REG_EXPAND_SZ value StubPath. If this value exists, XP executes the command it contains after the operating system creates a new user profile. don't see this value, nothing happens. To keep Windows XP from running the command, the value StubPath from that components subkey in Installed Components. Microsoft\Command Processor The MS-DOS command prompt supports file and folder name completion, as well as features. You can configure these features using Tweak UI, as described in Chapter 5, Tweak UI," or you can hack them directly in the registry. This key is HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor. The difference is that this key applies whereas the key in HKCU applies only to the current console user. The following list describes settings in the subkey Command Processor, which configure the MS-DOS command prompt: AutoRun. This REG_SZ value, which has no default, contains a list of commands automatically when you start the MS-DOS command prompt. • CompletionChar. This is a REG_DWORD value. It specifies the ASCII character the key to use for file name completion. You can set this value to 0x00, 0x01 through 0x20, or 0x40. The Tab key is 0x09 and is the default. • DefaultColor. This REG_DWORD value defaults to 0. Valid values range from 0xFE. It specifies the default background and foreground color of the MS-DOS prompt. The first hexadecimal digit specifies the background color, and the second specifies the foreground color. The digits correspond to the colors shown in Table the next page. Table C-1: Values for DefaultColor Value Color 0 Black 1 Blue 2 Green 3 Aqua 4 Red 5 Purple 6 Yellow 7 White 8 Gray 9 Light Blue A Light Green • 358 B Light Aqua C Light Red D Light Purple E Light Yellow F Bright White DelayedExpansion. This is a REG_DWORD value with a default of 0x00. whether the command prompt delays environment variable expansion. If the value the command prompt interprets the exclamation point (!) as an environment variable expands only when used. • EnableExtensions. This REG_DWORD value has a default value of 0x01. It whether command-processor extensions are enabled or not. Setting this value disables extensions. You need to disable extensions only when they interfere with language with which they aren't compatible. • PathCompletionChar. This is a REG_DWORD value that specifies the ASCII code of the key to use for path completion. Set this value to 0x00, 0x01 through or 0x40. The Tab key is 0x09. You can use the same key that you use for completion, which expands both. • Microsoft\Driver Signing The key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Driver Signing contains values that configure the XP driver-signing feature. Microsoft digitally signs driver files so Windows XP can Microsoft tested the driver file and that the file hasn't changed since Microsoft tested it. only value, Policy, controls how Windows XP handles driver files that aren't signed. Here possible values: 0x00. Windows XP installs unsigned device drivers (Ignore). • 0x01. Windows XP warns the user that the device driver is unsigned and enables choose whether or not to install it (Warn). • 0x02. Windows XP does not install unsigned device drivers (Block). • This setting comes from the Driver Signing Options dialog box, shown in Figure C-3. It applies users, unless you clear the Make This Action The System Default check box. The figure values associated with each option. 359 Figure C-3: In an enterprise environment, blocking unsigned device drivers is the safest Microsoft\InternetExplorer The key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer contains Internet Explorer settings apply to every user who logs on to the computer. For example, the subkey AboutURLs URLs of Web pages that Internet Explorer displays in special scenarios. The AdvancedOptions defines templates for the options on the Internet Options dialog box's tab. Microsoft\Sysprep You won't see HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Sysprep on your computer unless you Windows XP from a disk image that you prepared with Sysprep. Chapter 13, "Cloning Sysprep," describes how to use this tool. The values in this subkey are useful for understanding what Sysprep has done: CriticalDevicesInstalled. This value is 0x01 if Sysprep installed the critical devices. Chapter 13 for more information. • SidsGenerated. This value is 0x01 if Sysprep regenerated the computer's SID. • Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion The key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion contains useful learning more about Windows XP but not customizing it. The values in this subkey describe current version of Windows XP, the registered owner, and the path in which you installed operating system. For IT professionals, the three most useful subkeys are in the following HotFix. This key contains one subkey for each hotfix installed on the computer. Installed is 0x01 if the hotfix is installed; it's 0x00 otherwise. The HotFix key fills • 360 that extract the contents of this key and dump them to text files on the network. ProfileList. This key contains one subkey for each user profile you see in the User dialog box. • Winlogon. This key contains values that define the logon process, as well as the who logged on to the computer. There are two interesting customizations in this which you learn in Chapter 15, "Working Around IT Problems." The first is that display a legal notice when users log on to the operating system. The second is that use this key to automatically log on to the computer using a specific account. that a specific number of times. For example, you can configure this key to automatically on as Administrator, install an application, and then log off of the operating system. Chapter 15 for more information about this useful IT trick. • Policies Windows XP stores per-computer policies in the key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies, the branch for registry-based policies. Restricted users don't have permission to change subkey, which prevents them from circumventing policies by editing the registry. Windows supports hundreds of policies that enable IT professionals to control the computer's configuration. Chapter 6, "Using Registry-Based Policy," shows you how to customize policies by building administrative templates. Appendix D, "Group Policy," lists all of the policies that Windows creates in this key. Very often, using policies is the best and most interesting way to customize Windows example, many of the customizations you learn about in Chapter 4, "Hacking the Registry," policy settings in the registry to change behaviors. Some policies enable you to change that annoys you. In this regard, the per-user policies in HKCU\Software\Policies customization possibilities that the policies that you find in HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies. Although editing the registry directly is certainly one way to customize policies, there ways. The first is to use Group Policy Editor to edit the local Group Policy Object ( provides a user interface for the policies, limiting your settings to valid choices. Chapter how to edit the local GPO. In short, type gpedit.msc in the Run dialog box, and then policies under Computer Configuration and User Configuration in Administrative Templates. second way is to write scripts that change policies. I use scripts when I need to repeat setting many times, such as when I'm configuring multiple computers or when I reinstall XP on computers often. Chapter 9, "Scripting Registry Changes," shows you how to write edit the registry. SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion The key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion, and all its subkeys, contains of the most interesting settings in HKLM. First, this key has a number of REG_ REG_EXPAND_SZvalues that are interesting: CommonFilesDir. This value contains the path of Windows XP common files. location is C:\Program Files\Common Files. • DevicePath. This value defines the locations where Windows XP finds devicefiles. %SystemRoot%\inf;%SystemDrive%\Windows\Drivers is the default for this • 361 MediaPathUnexpanded. This value is the same as MediaPath, except REG_EXPAND_SZ value that includes environment variables. • PF_AccessoriesName. This value defines the name of the Accessories group Program Files menu. The default value is Accessories. • ProductId. This value contains the Windows XP product ID. This is not the product you typed when you registered Windows XP. • ProgramFilesDir. This value contains the location of profile files. The default C:\Program Files. • ProgramFilesPath. This value is the same as ProgramFilesDir, except that environment variables. The default value is %ProgramFiles%. • SM_AccessoriesName. This value contains the name of the Accessories group menu. The default value is Accessories. • SM_GamesName. This value contains the name of the Games group on the Start The default value is Games. • WallPaperDir. This value contains the default location for Windows XP wallpaper. default value is %SystemRoot%\Web\Wallpaper. • App Paths The subkey App Paths specifies the paths of specific program files. It enables you to run from the Run dialog box or the MS-DOS command prompt without specifying its path. For you can type Wordpad.exe in the Run dialog box, and Windows XP looks up the program's the App Paths key. The default value for App Paths\filename, where filename is the program file's name including .exe file extension, contains the command that executes the program. For example, valueofAppPaths\Wordpad.execontains%ProgramFiles%\ W NT\Accessories\WORDPAD.EXE. You can add other programs to the App Paths subkey you can run them without typing their paths. The value Path is optional and it specifies the path for the program, which is the path where the program finds additional program files. is usually to the folder containing the program file. Applets The Applets subkey contains per-computer settings for Windows XP accessories. By default, find a single subkey, DeluxeCD, but other accessories store per-computer settings here runthem.Themoreinterestingaccessorysettings HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets, though. Explorer The key Explorer contains Windows Explorer settings. These are per-computer settings, they're not as interesting to customize as the same subkey in HKCU. The subkey Advanced the settings you see in the Folder Options dialog box. There's not a lot to customize here they're templates, but it's interesting to see how Windows Explorer defines and collects settings. 362 HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\AutoplayHandlers\EventH andlers is the key where you find associations between different types of media and the applications handle them. When Windows XP detects that you've inserted a CD, DVD, or removable automatically runs the program that it associates with the type of content on that disk. In look up the type of content you want to customize. Then open the subkey shown in column for EventHandlers. In that subkey, add any of the following handlers as an empty value: MSCDBurningOnArrival • MSGenericVolumeArrival • MSOpenFolder • MSPlayCDAudioOnArrival • MSPlayDVDMovieOnArrival • MSPlayMediaOnArrival • MSPlayMusicFilesOnArrival • MSPlayVideoFilesOnArrival • MSPrintPicturesOnArrival • MSPromptEachTime • MSPromptEachTimeNoContent • MSShowPicturesOnArrival • MSTakeNoAction • MSVideoCameraArrival • MSWiaEventHandler • Table C-2: Values in AutoplayHandlers Media Subkey Generic GenericVolumeArrival Blank CDR HandleCDBurningOnArrival Mixed content MixedContentOnArrival CD audio PlayCDAudioOnArrival DVD PlayDVDMovieOnArrival Music files PlayMusicFilesOnArrival Video files PlayVideoFilesOnArrival Digital images ShowPicturesOnArrival Video camera VideoCameraArrival Explorer\Desktop\NameSpace The subkey Desktop\Namespace defines the objects you see on the Windows XP contains one subkey for each object, and the name is the class ID of the object's class in HKCR. Appendix A, "File Associations," contains more information about HKCR. Don't subkeys to hide desktop icons, though. The best way is to use HideDesktopIcons, which about later in this appendix. Explorer\FindExtensions The subkey FindExtensions defines the different extensions that you can use to search. Static contains three subkeys: ShellSearch, WabFind, and WebSearch. The subkey ShellSearch 363 WebSearch defines the extensions that enable you to search the Internet. Explorer\HideDesktopIcons The subkey HideDesktopIcons specifies which icons to show or hide on the desktop. You subkeys below the key HideDesktopIcons. The first is ClassicStartMenu. It affects the classic menu. This subkey contains REG_DWORD values. The names of these values are the object's class registration. The value is either 0x01, which indicates that Windows XP the icon, or 0x00, which indicates that Windows XP shouldn't hide the icon. The NewStartPanel affects the new Start menu. Its organization is similar to the ClassicStartMenu. Explorer\HideMyComputerIcons The subkey HideMyComputerIcons specifies which icons to show or hide in the My folder. This subkey contains REG_DWORD values. The names of these values are the object's class registration. The value is either 0x01, which indicates that Windows XP the icon, or 0x00, which indicates that Windows XP shouldn't hide the icon. Explorer\MyComputer The MyComputer subkey specifies the path and file name of the special tools you see right-click a drive in My Computer and then click Properties. The following subkeys define paths: BackupPath. The default value of this subkey contains the command to run right-click a drive in My Computer, click Properties, and then click Backup Now on tab. • CleanupPath. The default value of this subkey contains the command to run right-click a drive in My Computer, click Properties, and then click Disk Cleanup General tab. • DefragPath. The default value of this subkey contains the command to run when right-click a drive in My Computer, click Properties, and then click Defragment Tools tab. • The subkey MyComputer\NameSpace also serves a similar purpose to the Desktop\NameSpace. It defines the objects you see in My Computer. By default, this doesn't contain any GUIDs. You can add subkeys to this subkey named for the object's add objects to My Computer, though. Explorer\NetworkNeighborhood\NameSpace The subkey NetworkNeighborhood\Namespace defines the objects you see in the My Places folder. It contains one subkey for each object, and the name is the class ID of class registration in HKCR. By default, you see icons for Network Setup Wizard and Add Place. 364 The subkey RemoteComputer\NameSpace defines the objects you see when you browse computers in the My Network Places folder. It contains one subkey for each object, and the class ID of the object's class registration in HKCR. You see icons for the Printers and Tasks folders on remote computers. If browsing remote computers is a slow process, remove the subkeys in the RemoteComputer\NameSpace key. This prevents Windows looking up the remote printers and scheduled tasks on remote computers and could browsing a bit. Explorer\StartMenu The subkey StartMenu defines templates for the settings you see in the Taskbar And Properties dialog box. Because these are templates, they aren't often useful to customize. usefulness to you as a power user or IT professional is in sorting out where Windows settings and each setting's values in the registry. Explorer\User Shell Folders Windows XP maintains a set of shared folders in the All Users profile folder, %SYSTEMROOT%\Documents and Settings. The operating system specifies the paths folders in User Shell folders under HKLM. Table C-3 on the next page describes each find in User Shell Folders and the default path. The first column is the folder's internal the second is the default path. You can redirect these folders to different locations by changing path in User Shell Folders. Table C-3: Special Folders Name Default path Common AppData %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data Common Desktop %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Desktop Common Documents %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Documents Common Favorites %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Favorites Common Programs %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs Common Start Menu %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu Common Startup %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup Common Templates %ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Templates The values in Table C-3 are REG_EXPAND_SZ values, so you can use environment them. Use %ALLUSERSPROFILE% in a path to direct the folder somewhere inside the profile folder. To redirect the Common Favorites folder to the network, set the value Favorites, to \\Server\Share. The next time the operating system starts, Windows XP second key, HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell Folders, paths from User Shell Folders. Windows XP doesn't actually use the values in Shell Folders. Explorer\VisualEffects The subkey VisualEffects contains templates for the settings you see in the Performance dialog box. They aren't useful for customizing Windows XP, but they are handy to map settings to their corresponding registry settings. 365 The key HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies is the policy branch Windows XP inherits from earlier versions of Windows. Windows XP still stores many policies branch, although the new, preferred policy branch is HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies. settings you find in this key are leftovers from old-style policy files that have tattooed the Run Windows XP runs the commands in the subkey Run for every user who logs on to the The name of each value in this subkey is arbitrary. The operating system runs the command REG_SZ value, though. So if you don't want to use the Start Up group in the Program Files run programs when you log on to the computer, you can add the command to the Run Althoughthissubkeyaffectsallusers,thecomma HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run are per-user commands. Chapter "Working Around IT Problems," describes a useful workaround using this subkey. RunOnce The RunOnce subkey is similar to the Run subkey. The difference is that Windows XP commands from the RunOnce subkey after running them. Thus, commands in the RunOnce execute only one time. Uninstall The Uninstall key describes how to remove applications using the Add Or Remove Programs box. Each subkey, Uninstall\Name, describes how to remove the program. For example, Remove Programs dialog box uses the REG_SZ value DisplayName to display the program's in the list, and the REG_SZ value UninstallString contains the command that it uses to uninstall program. Some programs store more information in the Uninstall key. For example, in Uninstall\ TechSmith SnagIt stores the location in which you installed the program so it can find the files to remove. Some programs store the location of any shortcuts they create in Uninstall\ they can remove those when you remove the program. SYSTEM The subkeys in HKLM\SYSTEM are ControlSetN, where N is a number beginning with 001. are control sets, and they describe the computer's configuration. Of all the configuration in the registry, this is by far the most important. Windows XP maintains at least two control make sure that the operating system can always start. If the first fails, you can start with by choosing Last Known Good Configuration from the boot options menu. The subkey CurrentControlSet is a link to the current control set ControlSetN. Windows identifies the current control set using the key HKLM\SYSTEM\Select. The REG_DWORD Current contains the number of the current control set. The REG_DWORD value LastKnownGood contains the number of the last control set that worked properly. This is the control set that XP loads when users choose Last Known Good Configuration. 366 CurrentControlSet\Control The subkey CurrentControlSet\Control contains values that control how Windows XP defines the components to load and their configurations. The following list describes interesting subkeys of Control: BackupRestore. This subkey contains subkeys that specify the files and registry Windows XP won't back up or restore. You learn about this subkey in Chapter Up the Registry." • Class. This subkey stores configuration data for classes of hardware devices. • CrashControl. This subkey contains values that specify what happens when Windows locks, fails, or terminates abnormally. • CriticalDeviceDatabase. This subkey contains the critical device database, which about in Chapter 13, "Cloning Disks with Sysprep." It contains configuration data devices that Windows XP must install and start before the components that the system normally installs are started. • FileSystem. This subkey contains file system configurations. • GraphicsDriver. This subkey contains DirectX and graphics drivers settings. • GroupOrderList. This subkey contains the order in which Windows XP loads services service group when the operating system starts. • hivelist. This subkey defines the locations of hive files that are loaded in the registry. learned about this subkey in Chapter 1, "Learning the Basics." • IDConfigDB. This subkey contains settings that identify the current hardware configuration for Windows XP. • Lsa. This subkey contains configuration data for the Local Security Authority (LSA). • Network. This subkey contains network settings. • NetworkProvider. This subkey contains network provider settings. • Print. This subkey contains printer settings that apply to all users. • PriorityControl. This subkey specifies the relative priority of foreground applications background applications. • SafeBoot. This subkey contains data about the computer's safe-mode settings. Chapter 3, "Backing Up the Registry," to learn about boot options. • SecurePipeServers. This subkey contains the winreg subkey, which controls access to the registry. See Chapter 7, "Managing Registry Security," to learn how subkey to secure remote access to the registry. • ServiceGroupOrder. This subkey contains a list of all service groups in the order Windows XP loaded them. • ServiceProvider. This subkey contains data about the installed service providers. • SessionManager. This subkey contains Session Manager data. • Update. This subkey contains configuration data for System Policy. Chapter Registry-Based Policy," describes how to use this subkey. • VirtualDeviceDrivers. This subkey contains data for virtual device drivers. • Windows. This subkey contains data for the Win32 subsystem. • WOW. This subkey contains settings that control MS-DOS-based applications applications created for 16-bit versions of Windows. • 367 The subkey CurrentControlSet\Enumis a database of all the computer's devices that Windows recognized. This database stores configuration data for hardware devices separately device drivers they use. This database is an important part of Plug and Play in Windows Tip The most common reason to hack CurrentControlSet\Enum is to remove devices appear in Device Manager. Windows XP provides a better, safer alternative. Manager, click View, Show Hidden Devices; then remove the devices you want to remove the Enum subkey. CurrentControlSet\Hardware Profiles The subkey CurrentControlSet\Hardware Profiles stores hardware profiles, which created for laptop computers that have configurations for their docked and undocked hardware profile contains changes to the original hardware profile configured in HKLM\SOFTWARE and HKLM\SYSTEMkeys. Windows XP doesn't change the original value, so it can hardware profiles easily. You use the Hardware Profiles dialog box to create and choose profiles. Also, Windows XP automatically creates hardware profiles when it finds scenarios require them. Each hardware profile is in the subkey Hardware Profiles\N, where N is an incremental beginning with 0000. These subkeys look like stripped-down versions of HKLM\SOFTWARE HKLM\SYSTEM keys. They contain only those values that the hardware profile changes, other words, when Windows XP uses a hardware profile, the settings in the profile override settings in SOFTWARE and SYSTEM. They represent a powerful way to customize the system for different scenarios, which is particularly important to laptop users. The subkey HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Hardware Profiles\Current is a link to hardware profile. HKCC is also a link to the current hardware profile (which explains why find a separate section for HKCC in this appendix). Changing a value in any of these three changes the same value in the remaining two locations. WindowsXPmaintainsinformationaboutallitshardwareprofi lesi HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\IDConfigDB. This key contains the REG_DWORD CurrentConfig, which indicates the number of the current hardware profile. The subkey Profiles in IDConfigDB defines each hardware profile in further detail. For example, each Hardware Profiles defines the friendly name of the hardware profile. CurrentControlSet\Services The subkey CurrentControlSet\Servicesdefines services, such as device drivers, file system and Win32 services. The settings differ for each service. Each subkey in the Services name of the service that uses it. This is frequently the name of the file from which Windows loads the service. Some of the subkeys in Servicesrepresent devices and services that installed and running on the computer. Others aren't installed or aren't enabled. While services might have unique values and subkeys, they all have the following values and common: DependOnGroup. This REG_MULTI_SZ value specifies the service groups that XP must load before loading this service. This value ensures that all of prerequisites are met. • 368 are met. Enum. You see this subkey in services that store values for device drivers services that control devices. It stores information about the hardware associated service. • ErrorControl. This REG_DWORD value specifies how to continue if the device to load or initialize properly. The following values are possible: 0x00 (Ignore) Ignore the error and continue starting Windows XP. → 0x01 (Normal) Display a warning and continue starting Windows XP. → 0x02 (Severe) Restart using the last known good configuration, and continue starting Windows XP. → 0x03 (Critical) Restart using the last known good configuration, and if that not continue starting Windows XP. → • Group. This REG_DWORD value specifies the service group to which the service If this value doesn't exist, the service doesn't belong to a group, and the service all service groups load. • ImagePath. This REG_EXPAND_SZ value specifies the path and name of the executable file. Network adapters don't use this value. • Linkage. This subkey contains data for binding network components. They network services with protocols and devices that support them. • NetworkProvider. This subkey contains the name of the device, the provider, provider order for a network service. • ObjectName. This REG_SZ value specifies the name of a driver object that the I/ uses to load the device driver. This value exists in services that are kernelmode system drivers. • Parameters. This subkey contain entries specific to each service. • Performance. This subkey contains data for the service's performance counter. • Security. This subkey contains information about a driver's or service's permissions. • Start. This REG_DWORD value specifies how Windows XP loads or starts the service. following values are possible: 0x00 (Boot) The kernel loader loads the driver when Windows XP boots. → 0x01 (System) The I/O Subsystem loads the driver during kernel initialization. → 0x02 (Automatic) The Session Control Manager starts the service automatically. → 0x03 (Manual) The service must be started manually. → 0x04 (Disabled) The service is never started. → • Tag. This REG_DWORD value specifies the services tag number, which is a unique within the service group. • Type. This REG_DWORD value indicates the service's type. The following possible: 0x01 Kernel-mode device drivers → 0x02 File system drivers → 0x04 Arguments for an adapter → 0x08 File system driver services → 0x10 Win32 programs that run their own processes → 0x20 Win32 programs that share processes → 0x110 Win32 programs that run in processes by themselves → 0x120 Win32 programs that share processs and interact with users → • 369 Microsoft Windows XP provides six administrative templates. This appendix crossreferences each policy in these templates with its registry setting. Each section in this appendix contains a table that lists the template's settings. Each table has three columns. The first is the location of the policy in Group Policy editor. The second is the name of the policy. The third column is the policy's registry value. Use this appendix along with the descriptions you see in Group Policy editor to identify where in the registry Windows XP stores each policy. Conf.adm Table 19-1: Policies in Conf.adm Location Name Key Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting Disable remote Desktop Sharing HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoRDS User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting\Application Sharing Disable application Sharing HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoAppSharing User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting\Application Sharing Prevent Sharing HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoSharing User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting\Application Sharing Prevent Desktop Sharing HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoSharingDesktop User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting\Application Sharing Prevent Sharing Command Prompts HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoSharingDosWindows User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting\Application Sharing Prevent Sharing Explorer windows HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoSharingExplorer User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting\Application Sharing Prevent Control HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoAllowControl User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting\Application Sharing Prevent Application Sharing in true color HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoTrueColorSharing User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting\Audio & Video Limit the bandwidth of Audio and Video HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\MaximumBandwidth User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting\Audio & Video Disable Audio HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoAudio User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Disable full duplex Audio HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoFullDuplex 370 Components\NetMeeting\Audio & Video User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting\Audio & Video Prevent changing DirectSound Audio setting HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoChangeDirectSound User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting\Audio & Video Prevent sending Video HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoSendingVideo User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting\Audio & Video Prevent receiving Video HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoReceivingVideo User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting\Options Page Hide the General page HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoGeneralPage User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting\Options Page Disable the Advanced Calling button HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoAdvancedCalling User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting\Options Page Hide the Security page HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoSecurityPage User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting\Options Page Hide the Audio page HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoAudioPage User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting\Options Page Hide the Video page HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoVideoPage User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting Enable Automatic Configuration HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\ConfigFile User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting Disable Directory services HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoDirectoryServices User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting Prevent adding Directory servers HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\ NoAddingDirectoryServers User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting Prevent viewing Web directory HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoWebDirectory User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting Set the intranet support Web page HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\IntranetSupportURL User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting Set Call Security options HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\CallSecurity User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting Prevent changing Call placement method HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoChangingCallMode 371 User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting Prevent automatic acceptance of Calls HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoAutoAcceptCalls User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting Prevent sending files HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoSendingFiles User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting Prevent receiving files HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoReceivingFiles User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting Limit the size of sent files HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\MaxFileSendSize User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting Disable Chat HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoChat User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting Disable NetMeeting 2.x Whiteboard HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoOldWhiteBoard User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\NetMeeting Disable Whiteboard HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Conferencing\NoNewWhiteBoard Inetcorp.adm Table 19-2: Policies in Inetcorp.adm Location Name Key Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Code Download Code Download HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\CodeBaseSearchPath Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Related Sites and Errors Related Sites HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Extensions\{c95fe080-8f5d-11d2-a20b00aa003c157a} Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Temporary Internet Files (Machine) Temporary Internet Files (Machine) HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\5.0\Cache\Content\CacheLimit Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Temporary Internet Files (Machine) User Profiles HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\5.0\Cache\Content\PerUserItem User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Temporary Internet Files (User) Temporary Internet Files (User) HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\SyncMode5 User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Temporary Internet Files (User) Temporary Internet Files (User) HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\5.0\Cache\Content\CacheLimit Inetres.adm Table 19-3: Policies in Inetres.adm Location Name Key 372 Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Security Zones: Use only machine settings HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Security_HKLM_only Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Security Zones: Do not allow users to change policies HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Security_options_edit Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Security Zones: Do not allow users to add/delete sites HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Security_zones_map_edit Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Make proxy settings per-machine (rather than per-user) HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\ProxySettingsPerUser Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable Automatic Install of Internet Explorer components HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoJITSetup Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable Periodic Check for Internet Explorer software updates HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoUpdateCheck Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable software update shell notifications on program launch HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Explorer\NoMSAppLogo5ChannelNotify Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable showing the splash screen HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoSplash User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Search: Disable Search Customization HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoSearchCustomization User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Search: Disable Find Files via F3 within the browser HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions\NoFindFiles User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable external branding of Internet Explorer HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions\NoExternalBranding 373 User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable importing and exporting of favorites HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\DisableImportExportFavorites User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Internet Control Panel Disable the General page HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel\GeneralTab User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Internet Control Panel Disable the Security page HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel\SecurityTab User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Internet Control Panel Disable the Content page HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel\ContentTab User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Internet Control Panel Disable the Connections page HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel\ConnectionsTab User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Internet Control Panel Disable the Programs page HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel\ProgramsTab User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Internet Control Panel Disable the Advanced page HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel\AdvancedTab User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable changing Advanced page settings HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel\Advanced User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable changing home page settings HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel\HomePage User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Use Automatic Detection for dialup connections HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\DialupAutodetect User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Disable caching of Auto-Proxy scripts HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\EnableAutoProxyResultCache 374 Explorer User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Display error message on proxy script download failure HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\DisplayScriptDownloadFailureUI User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable changing Temporary Internet files settings HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Cache User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable changing history settings HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\History User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable changing color settings HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Colors User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable changing link color settings HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\links User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable changing font settings HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Fonts User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable changing language settings HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Languages User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable changing accessibility settings HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Accessibility User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable Internet Connection wizard HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Connwiz Admin Lock User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable changing connection settings HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Connection Settings User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable changing proxy settings HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Proxy User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Disable changing Automatic Configuration HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Autoconfig 375 Explorer settings User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable changing ratings settings HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Ratings User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable changing certificate settings HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Certificates User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable changing Profile Assistant settings HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Profiles User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable AutoComplete for forms HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\FormSuggest User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Do not allow AutoComplete to save passwords HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\FormSuggest Passwords User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable changing Messaging settings HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Messaging User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable changing Calendar and Contact settings HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\CalendarContact User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable the Reset Web Settings feature HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\ResetWebSettings User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Disable changing default browser check HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Check_If_Default User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Identity Manager: Prevent users from using Identities HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Identities\Locked Down User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer Configure Outlook Express HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Outlook Express\BlockExeAttachments User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Configure Media Explorer Bar HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\media\Autoplay 376 Explorer User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Offline Pages Disable adding channels HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoAddingChannels User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Offline Pages Disable removing channels HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoRemovingChannels User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Offline Pages Disable adding schedules for offline pages HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoAddingSubscriptions User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Offline Pages Disable editing schedules for offline pages HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoEditingSubscriptions User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Offline Pages Disable removing schedules for offline pages HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoRemovingSubscriptions User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Offline Pages Disable offline page hit logging HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoChannelLogging User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Offline Pages Disable all scheduled offline pages HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoScheduledUpdates User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Offline Pages Disable channel user interface completely HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoChannelUI User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Offline Pages Disable downloading of site subscription content HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoSubscriptionContent User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Offline Pages Disable editing and creating of schedule groups HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoEditingScheduleGroups User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Offline Pages Subscription Limits HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\MaxWebcrawlLevels User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet File menu: Disable Save As menu option HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions\NoBrowserSaveAs 377 Explorer\Browser menus User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Browser menus File menu: Disable New menu option HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions\NoFileNew User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Browser menus File menu: Disable Open menu option HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions\NoFileOpen User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Browser menus File menu: Disable Save As Web Page Complete HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoBrowserSaveWebComplete User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Browser menus File menu: Disable closing the browser and Explorer windows HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoBrowserClose User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Browser menus View menu: Disable Source menu option HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoViewSource User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Browser menus View menu: Disable Full Screen menu option HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoTheaterMode User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Browser menus Hide Favorites menu HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoFavorites User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Browser menus Tools menu: Disable Internet Options menu option HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Infodelivery\Restrictions\NoBrowserOptions User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Browser menus Help menu: Remove 'Tip of the Day' menu option HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions\NoHelpItemTipOfTheDay User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Browser menus Help menu: Remove 'For Netscape Users' menu option HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions\NoHelpItemNetscapeHelp User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Browser menus Help menu: Remove 'Send Feedback' menu option HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions\NoHelpItemSendFeedback User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Disable Context menu HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions\NoBrowserContextMenu 378 Components\Internet Explorer\Browser menus User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Browser menus Disable Open in New Window menu option HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions\NoOpeninNewWnd User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Browser menus Disable Save this program to disk option HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Restrictions\NoSelectDownloadDir User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Toolbars Disable customizing browser toolbar buttons HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Explorer\NoToolbarCustomize User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Toolbars Disable customizing browser toolbars HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer \NoBandCustomize User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Toolbars Configure Toolbar Buttons HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Explorer\Btn_Encoding User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Persistence Behavior File size limits for Local Machine zone HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Persistence\0\DocumentLimit User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Persistence Behavior File size limits for Intranet zone HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Persistence\1\DocumentLimit User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Persistence Behavior File size limits for Trusted Sites zone HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Persistence\2\DocumentLimit User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Persistence Behavior File size limits for Internet zone HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Persistence\3\DocumentLimit User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Persistence Behavior File size limits for Restricted Sites zone HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Persistence\4\DocumentLimit User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\AllowedControls\{22D6F312-B0F6-11D0-94AB-0080C74C7E95} 379 Components\Internet Explorer\Administrator Approved Controls User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Administrator Approved Controls HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\AllowedControls\{F5131C24-E56D-11CF-B78A-444553540000} User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Administrator Approved Controls HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\AllowedControls\{D45FD31B-5C6E-11D1-9EC1-00C04FD7081F} User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Administrator Approved Controls HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\AllowedControls\{D6526FE0-E651-11CF-99CB-00C04FD64497} User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Administrator Approved Controls Microsoft Survey Control HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\AllowedControls\{BD1F006E-174F-11D2-95C0-00C04F9A8CFA} User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Administrator Approved Controls Shockwave Flash HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\AllowedControls\{D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000} User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Administrator Approved Controls NetShow File Transfer Control HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\AllowedControls\{26F24A93-1DA2-11D0-A334-00AA004A5FC5} User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Administrator Approved Controls DHTML EditControl HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\AllowedControls\{2D360201-FFF5-11D1-8D03-00A0C959BC0A} User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Administrator Approved Controls Microsoft Scriptlet Component HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\AllowedControls\{AE24FDAE-03C6-11D1-8B76-0080C744F389} User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Administrator Approved Controls HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\AllowedControls\{DED22F57-FEE2-11D0-953B-00C04FD9152D} User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\AllowedControls\{52ADE293-85E8-11D2-BB22-00104B0EA281} 380 Components\Internet Explorer\Administrator Approved Controls User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Internet Explorer\Administrator Approved Controls HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\AllowedControls\{2FF18E10-DE11-11D1-8161-00A0C90DD90C} Inetset.adm Table 19-4: Policies in Inetset.adm Location Name Key Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Component Updates Periodic check for updates to Internet Explorer and Internet Tools HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Update_Check_Interval Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Component Updates Help Menu > About Internet Explorer HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\IEAKUpdateUrl User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Advanced settings Connection HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\EnableAutodial User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Advanced settings Browsing HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Ftp\Error Dlg Displayed On Every Error User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Advanced settings Multimedia HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Show image placeholders User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Advanced settings Security HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\WarnonZoneCrossing User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Advanced settings Microsoft VM HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Java VM\EnableJIT User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Advanced settings Printing HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Java VM\Print_Background User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Advanced settings Searching HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\SearchURL\AutoSearch User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Advanced settings HTTP 1.1 settings HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\ProxyHttp1.1 User Configuration\Administrative Signup Settings HKCU\Software\Microsoft\IEAK\NoAutomaticSignup 381 Templates\Advanced settings User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Advanced settings Internet Connection Wizard Settings HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Connection Wizard\Completed User Configuration\Administrative Templates\AutoComplete AutoComplete Settings HKCU\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ AutoComplete\FormSuggest PW Ask User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Display settings Text Size HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\International\Scripts\Default_IEFontSize User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Display settings General Colors HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Use_DlgBox_Colors User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Display settings Link colors HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main\Anchor Color Hover User Configuration\Administrative Templates\URL Encoding URL Encoding HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\UrlEncoding System.adm Table 19-5: Policies in System.adm Location Name Key Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) inactive job timeout HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\BITS\JobInactivityTimeout Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network Sets how often a DFS Client discovers DC's HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\System\DFSClient\DfsDcNameDelay Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\DNS Client Primary DNS Suffix HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\System\DNSClient\NV PrimaryDnsSuffix Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\DNS Client Dynamic Update HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient\RegistrationEnabled Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\DNS Client DNS Suffix Search List HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient\SearchList Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\DNS Client Primary DNS Suffix Devolution HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient\UseDomainNameDevolution Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\DNS Client Register PTR Records HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient\RegisterReverseLookup Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\DNS Client Registration Refresh Interval HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient\RegistrationRefreshInterval Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\DNS Client Replace Addresses In Conflicts HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient\ RegistrationOverwritesInConflict Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\DNS Client DNS Servers HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient\NameServer Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\DNS Client Connection-Specific DNS Suffix HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient\AdapterDomainName Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\DNS Client Register DNS records with connectionspecific HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient\RegisterAdapterName 382 DNS suffix Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\DNS Client TTL Set in the A and PTR records HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient\RegistrationTtl Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\DNS Client Update Security Level HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient\UpdateSecurityLevel Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\DNS Client Update Top Level Domain Zones HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient\ UpdateTopLevelDomainZones Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Prohibit use of Internet Connection Sharing on your DNS domain network HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\ NC_ShowSharedAccessUI Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Prohibit use of Internet Connection Firewall on your DNS domain network HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\ NC_PersonalFirewallConfig Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Prohibit installation and configuration of Network Bridge on your DNS domain network HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\ NC_AllowNetBridge_NLA Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections IEEE 802.1x Certificate Authority for Machine Authentication HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\ 8021X\8021XCARootHash Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Allow or Disallow use of the Offline Files feature HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\Enabled Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Prohibit user configuration of Offline Files HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\NoConfigCache Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Synchronize all offline files when logging on HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\SyncAtLogon Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Synchronize all offline files before logging off HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\SyncAtLogoff Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Synchronize offline files before suspend HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\SyncAtSuspend Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Default cache size HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\DefCacheSize Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Action on server disconnect HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\GoOfflineAction Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Non-default server disconnect actions HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\CustomGoOfflineActions\ Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Remove 'Make Available Offline' HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\NoMakeAvailableOffline Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Prevent use of Offline Files folder HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\NoCacheViewer Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Files not cached HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\ExcludeExtensions Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Administratively assigned offline files HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\AssignedOfflineFolders\ Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Turn off reminder balloons HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\NoReminders 383 Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Reminder balloon frequency HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\ReminderFreqMinutes Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Initial reminder balloon lifetime HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\ NetCache\InitialBalloonTimeoutSeconds Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Reminder balloon lifetime HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\ ReminderBalloonTimeoutSeconds Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files At logoff, delete local copy of user's offline files HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\ NetCache\PurgeOnlyAutoCacheAtLogoff Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Event logging level HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\EventLoggingLevel Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Subfolders always available offline HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\AlwaysPinSubFolders Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Encrypt the Offline Files cache HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\EncryptCache Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Prohibit 'Make Available Offline' for these file and folders HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\NoMakeAvailableOfflineList\ Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Configure Slow link speed HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\SlowLinkSpeed Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler Limit reservable bandwidth HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\NonBestEffortLimit Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler Limit outstanding packets HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\MaxOutstandingSends Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler Set timer resolution HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\TimerResolution Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler\DSCP value of conforming packets Best effort service type HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\ DiffservByteMappingConforming\ServiceTypeBestEffort Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler\DSCP value of conforming packets Controlled load service type HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\ DiffservByteMappingConforming\ServiceTypeControlledLoad Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler\DSCP value of conforming packets Guaranteed service type HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\ DiffservByteMappingConforming\ServiceTypeGuaranteed Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler\DSCP value of conforming packets Network control service type HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\ DiffservByteMappingConforming\ServiceTypeNetworkControl Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler\DSCP value of conforming packets Qualitative service type HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\ DiffservByteMappingConforming\ServiceTypeQualitative Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler\DSCP value of non-conforming packets Best effort service type HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\ DiffservByteMappingNonConforming\ServiceTypeBestEffort 384 Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\QoS Packet Scheduler\DSCP value of non-conforming packets Controlled load service type HKLM\ Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\ DiffservByteMappingNonConforming\ServiceTypeControlledLoad Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler\DSCP value of non-conforming packets Guaranteed service type HKLM\ Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\ DiffservByteMappingNonConforming\ServiceTypeGuaranteed Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler\DSCP value of non-conforming packets Network control service type HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\ DiffservByteMappingNonConforming\ServiceTypeNetworkControl Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler\DSCP value of non-conforming packets Qualitative service type HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\ DiffservByteMappingNonConforming\ServiceTypeQualitative Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler\Layer-2 priority value Non-conforming packets HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\ UserPriorityMapping\ServiceTypeNonConforming Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler\Layer-2 priority value Best effort service type HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\ UserPriorityMapping\ServiceTypeBestEffort Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler\Layer-2 priority value Controlled load service type HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\ UserPriorityMapping\ServiceTypeControlledLoad Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler\Layer-2 priority value Guaranteed service type HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\ UserPriorityMapping\ServiceTypeGuaranteed Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler\Layer-2 priority value Network control service type HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\ UserPriorityMapping\ServiceTypeNetworkControl Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\QoS Packet Scheduler\Layer-2 priority value Qualitative service type HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Psched\ UserPriorityMapping\ServiceTypeQualitative Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\SNMP Communities HKLM\Software\Policies\SNMP\Parameters\ValidCommunities\ Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\SNMP Permitted Managers HKLM\Software\Policies\SNMP\Parameters\PermittedManagers\ Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\SNMP Traps for Public community HKLM\Software\Policies\SNMP\Parameters\TrapDestinations\ Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Printers Allow printers to be published HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\PublishPrinters Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Printers Allow pruning of published printers HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\Immortal Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Printers Automatically publish new printers in Active Directory HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\ Wizard\Auto Publishing Computer Configuration\Administrative Check published state HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\VerifyPublishedState 385 Templates\Printers Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Printers Computer location HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\PhysicalLocation Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Printers Custom support URL in the Printers folder's left pane HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\SupportLink Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Printers Directory pruning interval HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\PruningInterval Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Printers Directory pruning priority HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\PruningPriority Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Printers Directory pruning retry HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\PruningRetries Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Printers Disallow installation of printers using kernel-mode drivers HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\KMPrintersAreBlocked Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Printers Log directory pruning retry events HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\PruningRetryLog Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Printers Pre-populate printer search location text HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\PhysicalLocationSupport Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Printers Printer browsing HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\ServerThread Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Printers Prune printers that are not automatically republished HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\PruneDownlevel Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Printers Web-based printing HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\DisableWebPrinting Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Display Shutdown Event Tracker HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Reliability\ShutdownReasonUI Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Specify Windows installation file location HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Setup\SourcePath Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Specify Windows Service Pack installation file location HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Setup\ServicePackSourcePath Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Remove Boot/ Shutdown/Logon/ Logoff status messages HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\System\DisableStatusMessages Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Verbose vs normal status messages HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\VerboseStatus Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Restrict these programs from being launched from Help HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\DisableInHelp Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Turn off Autoplay HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Explorer\NoDriveTypeAutoRun Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Do not automatically encrypt files moved to encrypted folders HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Explorer\NoEncryptOnMove Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Download missing COM components HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\App Management\COMClassStore Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Disk Quotas Enable disk quotas HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DiskQuota\Enable 386 Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Disk Quotas Enforce disk quota limit HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DiskQuota\Enforce Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Disk Quotas Default quota limit and warning level HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DiskQuota\ThresholdUnits Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Disk Quotas Log event when quota limit exceeded HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DiskQuota\LogEventOverLimit Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Disk Quotas Log event when quota warning level exceeded HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DiskQuota\LogEventOverThreshold Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Disk Quotas Apply policy to removable media HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DiskQuota\ ApplyToRemovableMedia Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Error Reporting Display Error Notification HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\PCHealth\ErrorReporting\DW\DWAllowHeadless Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Error Reporting Report Errors HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\PCHealth\ErrorReporting\DW\DWReporteeName Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Error Reporting\Advanced Error Reporting settings Default application reporting settings HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\PCHealth\ErrorReporting\IncludeWindowsApps Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Error Reporting\Advanced Error Reporting settings List of applications to always report errors for HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\PCHealth\ErrorReporting\InclusionList\ Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Error Reporting\Advanced Error Reporting settings List of applications to never report errors for HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\PCHealth\ErrorReporting\ExclusionList\ Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Error Reporting\Advanced Error Reporting settings Report operating system errors HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\PCHealth\ErrorReporting\IncludeKernelFaults Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Error Reporting\Advanced Error Reporting settings Report unplanned shutdown events HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\PCHealth\ErrorReporting\IncludeShutdownErrs Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Turn off background refresh of Group Policy HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\ DisableBkGndGroupPolicy Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Group Policy refresh interval for computers HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\GroupPolicyRefreshTimeOffset Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Group Policy refresh interval for domain controllers HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\ GroupPolicyRefreshTimeOffsetDC Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy User Group Policy loopback processing mode HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\UserPolicyMode Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Group Policy slow link detection HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\GroupPolicyMinTransferRate Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Turn off Resultant Set of Policy logging HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\RSoPLogging Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Remove users ability to invoke machine policy refresh HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\DenyUsersFromMachGP 387 Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Disallow Interactive Users from generating Resultant Set of Policy data HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\DenyRsopToInteractiveUser Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Registry policy processing HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy\ {35378EAC-683F-11D2-A89A-00C04FBBCFA2}\NoGPOListChanges Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Internet Explorer Maintenance policy processing HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy\ {A2E30F80-D7DE-11d2-BBDE-00C04F86AE3B}\NoGPOListChanges Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Software Installation policy processing HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy\ {c6dc5466-785a-11d2-84d0-00c04fb169f7}\NoGPOListChanges Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Folder Redirection policy processing HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy\ {25537BA6-77A8-11D2-9B6C-0000F8080861}\NoGPOListChanges Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Scripts policy processing HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy\ {42B5FAAE-6536-11d2-AE5A-0000F87571E3}\NoGPOListChanges Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Security policy processing HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy\ {827D319E-6EAC-11D2-A4EA-00C04F79F83A}\NoGPOListChanges Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy IP Security policy processing HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy\ {e437bc1c-aa7d-11d2-a382-00c04f991e27}\NoGPOListChanges Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy EFS recovery policy processing HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy\ {B1BE8D72-6EAC-11D2-A4EA-00C04F79F83A}\NoGPOListChanges Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Disk Quota policy processing HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy\ {3610eda5-77ef-11d2-8dc5-00c04fa31a66}\NoGPOListChanges Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Logon Don't display the Getting Started welcome screen at logon HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoWelcomeScreen Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Logon Always use classic logon HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\LogonType Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Logon Run these programs at user logon HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run\ Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Logon Do not process the run once list HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ DisableLocalMachineRunOnce Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Logon Do not process the legacy run list HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ DisableLocalMachineRun Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Logon Always wait for the network at computer startup and logon HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ Winlogon\SyncForegroundPolicy Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon Expected dial-up delay on logon HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\ExpectedDialupDelay Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon Site Name HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\SiteName Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon Negative DC Discovery Cache Setting HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\NegativeCachePeriod Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon Initial DC Discovery Retry Setting for Background Callers HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\BackgroundRetryInitialPeriod Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon Maximum DC Discovery Retry Interval Setting for Background Callers HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\ BackgroundRetryMaximumPeriod Computer Configuration\Administrative Final DC Discovery Retry Setting for HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\BackgroundRetryQuitTime 388 Templates\System\Net Logon Background Callers Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon Positive Periodic DC Cache Refresh for Background Callers HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\ BackgroundSuccessfulRefreshPeriod Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon Positive Periodic DC Cache Refresh for Non-Background Callers HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\ NonBackgroundSuccessfulRefreshPeriod Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon Scavenge Interval HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\ScavengeInterval Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon Contact PDC on logon failure HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\AvoidPdcOnWan Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon\DC Locator DNS Records Dynamic Registration of the DC Locator DNS Records HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\UseDynamicDns Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon\DC Locator DNS Records DC Locator or DNS records not registered by the DCs HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\ DnsAvoidRegisterRecords Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon\DC Locator DNS Records Refresh Interval of the DC Locator DNS Records HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\DnsRefreshInterval Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon\DC Locator DNS Records Weight Set in the DC Locator DNS SRV Records HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\LdapSrvWeight Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon\DC Locator DNS Records Priority Set in the DC Locator DNS SRV Records HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\LdapSrvPriority Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon\DC Locator DNS Records TTL Set in the DC Locator DNS Records HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\DnsTtl Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon\DC Locator DNS Records Automated Site Coverage by the DC Locator DNS SRV Records HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\AutoSiteCoverage Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon\DC Locator DNS Records Sites Covered by the DC Locator DNS SRV Records HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\SiteCoverage Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon\DC Locator DNS Records Sites Covered by the GC Locator DNS SRV Records HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\GcSiteCoverage Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon\DC Locator DNS Records Sites Covered by the Application Directory Partition Locator DNS SRV Records HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\NdncSiteCoverage Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Net Logon\DC Locator DNS Records Location of the DCs hosting a domain with single label DNS name HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Netlogon\Parameters\ AllowSingleLabelDnsDomain Computer Solicited Remote HKLM\Software\policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ 389 Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Remote Assistance Assistance MaxTicketExpiryUnits Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Remote Assistance Offer Remote Assistance HKLM\Software\policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\RAUnsolicit\fAllowUnsolicitedFullControl Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Remote Procedure Call RPC Troubleshooting State Information HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Rpc\StateInformation Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Remote Procedure Call Propagation of extended error information HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Rpc\ExtErrorInfoExceptions Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Scripts Run logon scripts synchronously HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ System\RunLogonScriptSync Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Scripts Run startup scripts asynchronously HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ System\RunStartupScriptSync Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Scripts Run startup scripts visible HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ System\HideStartupScripts Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Scripts Run shutdown scripts visible HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ System\HideShutdownScripts Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Scripts Maximum wait time for Group Policy scripts HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ System\MaxGPOScriptWait Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\System Restore Turn off System Restore HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\SystemRestore\ DisableSR Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\System Restore Turn off Configuration HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\SystemRestore\DisableConfig Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\User Profiles Delete cached copies of roaming profiles HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\DeleteRoamingCache Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\User Profiles Do not detect slow network connections HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\SlowLinkDetectEnabled Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\User Profiles Slow network connection timeout for user profiles HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\SlowLinkTimeOut Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\User Profiles Wait for remote user profile HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\SlowLinkProfileDefault Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\User Profiles Prompt user when slow link is detected HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\SlowLinkUIEnabled Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\User Profiles Timeout for dialog boxes HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\ProfileDlgTimeOut Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\User Profiles Log users off when roaming profile fails HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\ProfileErrorAction Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\User Profiles Maximum retries to unload and update user profile HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\ProfileUnloadTimeout Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\User Profiles Add the Administrators security group to roaming user profiles HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\AddAdminGroupToRUP Computer Configuration\Administrative Prevent Roaming Profile changes HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\ReadOnlyProfile 390 Templates\System\User Profiles from propagating to the server Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\User Profiles Only allow local user profiles HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\LocalProfile Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Windows File Protection Set Windows File Protection scanning HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Windows File Protection\SfcScan Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Windows File Protection Hide the file scan progress window HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\ Windows File Protection\SfcShowProgress Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Windows File Protection Limit Windows File Protection cache size HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Windows File Protection\SfcQuota Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Windows File Protection Specify Windows File Protection cache location HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\ Windows File Protection\SFCDllCacheDir Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Windows Time Service Global Configuration Settings HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\W32Time\Config\MinPollInterval Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Windows Time Service\Time Providers Enable Windows NTP Client HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\W32time\TimeProviders\NtpClient\Enabled Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Windows Time Service\Time Providers Configure Windows NTP Client HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\W32time\Parameters\EventLogFlags Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Windows Time Service\Time Providers Enable Windows NTP Server HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpServer\Enabled Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Task Scheduler Hide Property Pages HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler5.0\Property Pages Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Task Scheduler Prevent Task Run or End HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler5.0\Execution Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Task Scheduler Prohibit Drag-and-Drop HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler5.0\DragAndDrop Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Task Scheduler Prohibit New Task Creation HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler5.0\Task Creation Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Task Scheduler Prohibit Task Deletion HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler5.0\Task Deletion Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Task Scheduler Remove Advanced Menu HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler5.0\Disable Advanced Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Task Scheduler Prohibit Browse HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler5.0\Allow Browse Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services Keep-Alive Messages HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services \KeepAliveInterval 391 Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services Limit users to one remote session HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ fSingleSessionPerUser Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services Enforce Removal of Remote Desktop Wallpaper HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ fNoRemoteDesktopWallpaper Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Client/Server data redirection Do not allow clipboard redirection HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ fDisableClip Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Client/Server data redirection Do not allow smart card device redirection HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ fEnableSmartCard Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Client/Server data redirection Allow audio redirection HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ fDisableCam Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Client/Server data redirection Do not allow COM port redirection HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ fDisableCcm Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Client/Server data redirection Do not allow client printer redirection HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ fDisableCpm Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Client/Server data redirection Do not allow LPT port redirection HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\ Terminal Services\fDisableLPT Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Client/Server data redirection Do not allow drive redirection HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ fDisableCdm Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Client/Server data redirection Do not set default client printer to be default printer in a session HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ fForceClientLptDef Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Encryption and Security Always prompt client for password upon connection HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ fPromptForPassword Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Encryption and Security Set client connection encryption level HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ MinEncryptionLevel Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services Limit number of connections HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ MaxInstanceCount 392 Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services Limit maximum color depth HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\ Terminal Services ColorDepth Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services Do not allow new client connections HKLM\ SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ fDenyTSConnections VALUE NUMERIC 0 Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services Do not allow local administrators to customize permissions HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ fWritableTSCCPermTab Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services Remove Windows Security item from Start menu HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Explorer\NoNTSecurity Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services Remove Disconnect item from Shut Down dialog HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Explorer\NoDisconnect Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Licensing Prevent License Upgrade HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ fPreventLicenseUpgrade Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Temporary folders Do not use temp folders per session HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ PerSessionTempDir Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Temporary folders Do not delete temp folder upon exit HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ DeleteTempDirsOnExit Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Session Directory Session Directory Active HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ SessionDirectoryActive Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Session Directory Session Directory Server HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ SessionDirectoryLocation Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Session Directory Session Directory Cluster Name HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ SessionDirectoryClusterName Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Sessions Set time limit for disconnected sessions HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ MaxDisconnectionTime Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Sessions Set time limit for active sessions HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ MaxConnectionTime Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Sessions Set time limit for idle sessions HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ MaxIdleTime REQUIRED Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Sessions Allow reconnection from original client only HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ fReconnectSame 393 Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Sessions Terminate session when time limits are reached HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ fResetBroken Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services Set path for TS Roaming Profiles HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ WFProfilePath Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services TS User Home Directory HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ WFHomeDirDrive Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services Remote control settings HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\Shadow Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services Start a program on connection HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\WorkDirectory Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Disable Windows Installer HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\DisableMSI Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Always install with elevated privileges HKLM\Software\olicies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\AlwaysInstallElevated Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Prohibit rollback HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\DisableRollback Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Remove browse dialog box for new source HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\DisableBrowse Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Prohibit patching HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\DisablePatch Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Disable IE security prompt for Windows Installer scripts HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\SafeForScripting Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Enable user control over installs HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\EnableUserControl Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Enable user to browse for source while elevated HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\AllowLockdownBrowse Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Enable user to use media source while elevated HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\AllowLockdownMedia Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Enable user to patch elevated products HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\AllowLockdownPatch Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Allow admin to install from Terminal Services session HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\EnableAdminTSRemote Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Cache transforms in secure location on workstation HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\TransformsSecure Logging HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\Logging 394 Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Prohibit User Installs HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\DisableUserInstalls Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Turn off creation of System Restore Checkpoints HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\ LimitSystemRestoreCheckpointing Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Messenger Do not allow Windows Messenger to be run HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Messenger\Client\PreventRun Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Messenger Do not automatically start Windows Messenger initially HKLM\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Messenger\Client\PreventAutoRun User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel Prohibit access to the Control Panel HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoControlPanel User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel Hide specified Control Panel applets HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer \DisallowCpl\DisallowCpl User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel Show only specified Control Panel applets HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ RestrictCpl\RestrictCpl User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel Force classic Control Panel Style HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ RestrictCpl\ForceClassicControlPanel User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Add/Remove Programs Remove Add/Remove Programs Programs HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Uninstall\ NoAddRemovePrograms User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Add/Remove Programs Hide Change or Remove Programs page HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Uninstall\ NoRemovePage User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Add/Remove Programs Hide Add New Programs page HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Uninstall\NoAddPage User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Add/Remove Programs Hide Add/Remove Windows Components page HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Uninstall\ NoWindowsSetupPage User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Add/Remove Programs Hide the Add a program from CD-ROM or floppy disk option HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Uninstall\ NoAddFromCDorFloppy User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Add/Remove Programs Hide the Add programs from Microsoft option HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Uninstall\NoAddFromInternet User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Add/Remove Programs Hide the Add programs from your network option HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Uninstall\NoAddFromNetwork User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Add/Remove Programs Go directly to Components Wizard HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Uninstall\NoServices User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Add/Remove Programs Remove Support Information HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Uninstall\NoSupportInfo 395 User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Add/Remove Programs Specify default category for Add New Programs HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Uninstall\DefaultCategory User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Display Remove Display in Control Panel HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ System\NoDispCPL User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Display Hide Desktop tab HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ System\NoDispBackgroundPage User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Display Prevent changing wallpaper HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ ActiveDesktop\NoChangingWallPaper User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Display Hide Appearance and Themes tab HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ ActiveDesktop\NoDispAppearancePage User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Display Hide Settings tab HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ ActiveDesktop\NoDispSettingsPage User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Display Hide Screen Saver tab HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ ActiveDesktop\NoDispScrSavPage User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Display Screen Saver HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\ Desktop\ScreenSaveActive User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Display Screen Saver executable name HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\ Desktop\SCRNSAVE.EXE User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Display Password protect the screen saver HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\ Desktop\ScreenSaverIsSecure User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Display Screen Saver timeout HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Control Panel\ Desktop\ScreenSaveTimeOut User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Display\Desktop Themes Remove Theme option HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Explorer\NoThemesTab User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Display\Desktop Themes Prevent selection of windows and buttons styles HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ System\NoVisualStyleChoice User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Display\Desktop Themes Prohibit selection of font size HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\NoSizeChoice User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Display\Desktop Themes Prohibit Theme color selection HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\NoColorChoice User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Display\Desktop Themes Load a specific visual style file or force Windows Classic HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\SetVisualStyle User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Printers Browse a common web site to find printers HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\Wizard\Printers Page URL User Configuration\Administrative Browse the network to find printers HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\Wizard\Downlevel Browse 396 Templates\Control Panel\Printers User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Printers Default Active Directory path when searching for printers HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\Wizard\Default Search Scope User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Printers Prevent addition of printers HKCU\ Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\Wizard\NoAddPrinter User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Printers Prevent deletion of printers HKCU\ Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Printers\Wizard\NoDeletePrinter User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Control Panel\Regional and Language Options Restrict selection of Windows menus and dialogs language HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Control Panel\Desktop\MultiUILanguageID User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop Hide and disable all items on the desktop HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoDesktop User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop Remove My Documents icon on the desktop HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\NonEnum\ {450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103} User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop Remove My Computer icon on the desktop HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\NonEnum\ {20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop Remove Recycle Bin icon from desktop HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\NonEnum\ {645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E} User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop Remove Properties from the My Documents shortcut menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ NoPropertiesMyDocuments User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop Remove Properties from the My Computer shortcut menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ NoPropertiesMyComputer User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop Remove Properties from the Recycle Bin shortcut menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ NoPropertiesRecycleBin User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop Hide My Network Places icon on desktop HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ NoNetHood User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop Hide Internet Explorer icon on desktop HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ NoInternetIcon User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop Do not add shares of recently opened documents to My Network Places HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ NoRecentDocsNetHood User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop Prohibit user from changing My Documents path HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ DisablePersonalDirChange User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop Prevent adding, dragging, dropping and closing the Taskbar's toolbars HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ NoCloseDragDropBands User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop Prohibit adjusting desktop toolbars HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ NoMovingBands User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop Don't save settings at exit HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ NoSaveSettings User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop Remove the Desktop Cleanup Wizard HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ NoDesktopCleanupWizard 397 User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop\Active Desktop Enable Active Desktop HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ ForceActiveDesktopOn User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop\Active Desktop Disable Active Desktop HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ NoActiveDesktop User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop\Active Desktop Disable all items HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop\ NoComponents User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop\Active Desktop Prohibit changes HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ NoActiveDesktopChanges User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop\Active Desktop Prohibit adding items HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop\ NoAddingComponents User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop\Active Desktop Prohibit deleting items HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop\ NoDeletingComponents User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop\Active Desktop Prohibit editing items HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop\ NoEditingComponents User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop\Active Desktop Prohibit closing items HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop\ NoClosingComponents User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop\Active Desktop Add/Delete items HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop\ AdminComponent\Delete User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop\Active Desktop Active Desktop Wallpaper HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\WallpaperStyle User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop\Active Desktop Allow only bitmapped wallpaper HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ActiveDesktop\ NoHTMLWallPaper User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop\Active Directory Maximum size of Active Directory searches HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Directory UI\QueryLimit User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop\Active Directory Enable filter in Find dialog box HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Directory UI\EnableFilter User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Desktop\Active Directory Hide Active Directory folder HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Directory UI\HideDirectoryFolder User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Ability to rename LAN connections or remote access connections available to all users HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\ NC_RenameConnection User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Prohibit access to properties of components of a LAN connection HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\ NC_LanChangeProperties User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Prohibit access to properties of components of a remote access connection HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\NC_RasChangeProperties 398 User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Prohibit TCP/IP advanced configuration HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\ NC_AllowAdvancedTCPIPConfig User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Prohibit access to the Advanced Settings item on the Advanced menu HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\NC_AdvancedSettings User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Prohibit adding and removing components for a LAN or remote access connection HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\ NC_AddRemoveComponents User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Prohibit access to properties of a LAN connection HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\NC_LanProperties User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Prohibit Enabling/ Disabling components of a LAN connection HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\ NC_ChangeBindState User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Ability to change properties of an all user remote access connection HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\NC_RasAllUserProperties User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Prohibit changing properties of a private remote access connection HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\ Network Connections\NC_RasMyProperties User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Prohibit deletion of remote access connections HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\ Network Connections\NC_DeleteConnection User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Ability to delete all user remote access connections HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\ NC_DeleteAllUserConnection User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Prohibit connecting and disconnecting a remote access connection HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\NC_RasConnect User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Ability to Enable/ Disable a LAN connection HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\NC_LanConnect User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Prohibit access to the New Connection Wizard HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\ NC_NewConnectionWizard User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Ability to rename LAN connections HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\ NC_RenameLanConnection User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Ability to rename all user remote access connections HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\NC_RenameAllUserRasConnection User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Prohibit renaming private remote access connections HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\ NC_RenameMyRasConnection User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Prohibit access to the Dial-up Preferences item on the Advanced menu HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\NC_DialupPrefs User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Prohibit viewing of status for an active connection HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\NC_Statistics 399 User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connections Enable Windows 2000 Network Connections settings for Administrators HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Network Connections\ NC_EnableAdminProhibits User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Prohibit user configuration of Offline Files HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\NoConfigCache User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Synchronize all offline files when logging on HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\SyncAtLogon User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Synchronize all offline files before logging off HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\SyncAtLogoff User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Synchronize offline files before suspend HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\SyncAtSuspend User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Action on server disconnect HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\GoOfflineAction User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Non-default server disconnect actions HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\CustomGoOfflineActions\ User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Remove 'Make Available Offline' HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\NoMakeAvailableOffline User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Prevent use of Offline Files folder HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\NoCacheViewer User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Administratively assigned offline files HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\AssignedOfflineFolders\ User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Turn off reminder balloons HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\NoReminders User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Reminder balloon frequency HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\ReminderFreqMinutes User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Initial reminder balloon lifetime HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\ InitialBalloonTimeoutSeconds User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Reminder balloon lifetime HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\ ReminderBalloonTimeoutSeconds User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Event logging level HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\EventLoggingLevel User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Prohibit 'Make Available Offline' for these file and folders HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\NoMakeAvailableOfflineList\ User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Network\Offline Files Do not automatically make redirected folders available offline HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\NetCache\DisableFRAdminPin User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Shared Folders Allow shared folders to be published HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\ SharedFolders\PublishSharedFolders User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Shared Folders Allow DFS roots to be published HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\SharedFolders\PublishDfsRoots User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove user's folders from the Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoStartMenuSubFolders User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove links and access to Windows Update HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoWindowsUpdate 400 User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove common program groups from Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Explorer\NoCommonGroups User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove My Documents icon from Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoSMMyDocs User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove Documents menu from Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoRecentDocsMenu User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove programs on Settings menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoSetFolders User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove Network Connections from Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoNetworkConnections User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove Favorites menu from Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoFavoritesMenu User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove Search menu from Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoFind User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove Help menu from Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoSMHelp User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove Run menu from Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoRun User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove My Pictures icon from Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoSMMyPictures User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove My Music icon from Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoStartMenuMyMusic User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove My Network Places icon from Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ NoStartMenuNetworkPlaces User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Add Logoff to the Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ForceStartMenuLogOff User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove Logoff on the Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\StartMenuLogOff User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove and prevent access to the Shut Down command HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoClose User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove Drag-and-drop context menus on the Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoChangeStartMenu User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Prevent changes to Taskbar and Start Menu Settings HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoSetTaskbar User Configuration\Administrative Remove access to the context menus HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoTrayContextMenu 401 Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar for the taskbar User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Do not keep history of recently opened documents HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoRecentDocsHistory User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Clear history of recently opened documents on exit HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ClearRecentDocsOnExit User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Turn off personalized menus HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\Intellimenus User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Turn off user tracking HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoInstrumentation User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Add Run in Separate Memory Space check box to Run dialog box HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\MemCheckBoxInRunDlg User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Do not use the search-based method when resolving shell shortcuts HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoResolveSearch User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Do not use the tracking-based method when resolving shell shortcuts HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Explorer\NoResolveTrack User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Gray unavailable Windows Installer programs Start Menu shortcuts HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\GreyMSIAds User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Prevent grouping of taskbar items HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Explorer\NoTaskGrouping User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Turn off notification area cleanup HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Explorer\NoAutoTrayNotify User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Lock the Taskbar HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\LockTaskbar User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Force classic Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoSimpleStartMenu User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove Balloon Tips on Start Menu items HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoSMBalloonTip User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove pinned programs list from the Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoStartMenuPinnedList User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove frequent programs list from the Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ NoStartMenuMFUprogramsList User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove All Programs list from the Start menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoStartMenuMorePrograms User Configuration\Administrative Remove and disable the Turn Off HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoClose 402 Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Computer button User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove the Undock PC button from the Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ NoStartMenuEjectPC User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove user name from Start Menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ NoUserNameInStartMenu User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Remove Clock from the system notification area HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\HideClock User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Hide the notification area HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoTrayItemsDisplay User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Start Menu and Taskbar Do not display any custom toolbars in the taskbar HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Explorer\NoToolbarsOnTaskbar User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Don't display the Getting Started welcome screen at logon HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoWelcomeScreen User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Century interpretation for Year 2000 HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Control Panel\International\ Calendars\TwoDigitYearMax\1 User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Configure driver search locations HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DriverSearching\ DontSearchWindowsUpdate User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Code signing for device drivers HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\ Driver Signing\BehaviorOnFailedVerify User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Custom user interface HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\Shell User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Prevent access to the command prompt HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\DisableCMD User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Prevent access to registry editing tools HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ System\DisableRegistryTools User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Run only allowed Windows applications HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ RestrictRun\RestrictRun User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Don't run specified Windows applications HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ DisallowRun\DisallowRun User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Turn off Autoplay HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ Explorer\NoDriveTypeAutoRun User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Restrict these programs from being launched from Help HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\DisableInHelp User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Download missing COM components HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\App Management\COMClassStore User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System Windows Automatic Updates HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoAutoUpdate User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Ctrl+Alt+Del Options Remove Task Manager HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\System\DisableTaskMgr User Configuration\Administrative Remove Lock Computer HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\System\DisableLockWorkstation 403 Templates\System\Ctrl+Alt+Del Options User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Ctrl+Alt+Del Options Remove Change Password HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\System\DisableChangePassword User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Ctrl+Alt+Del Options Remove Logoff HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoLogoff User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Group Policy refresh interval for users HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\GroupPolicyRefreshTimeOffset User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Group Policy slow link detection HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System\GroupPolicyMinTransferRate User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Group Policy domain controller selection HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Group Policy Editor\DCOption User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy Create new Group Policy object links disabled by default 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{40B66661-4972-11d1-A7CA-0000F87571E3}\Restrict_Run User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Management Console\Restricted/Permitted snap-ins\Group Policy\Resultant Set of Policy snap-in extensions Scripts (Startup/Shutdown) HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MMC\ {40B66660-4972-11d1-A7CA-0000F87571E3}\Restrict_Run User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Management Console\Restricted/Permitted snap-ins\Group Policy\Resultant Set of Policy snap-in extensions Security Settings HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MMC\ {fe883157-cebd-4570-b7a2-e4fe06abe626}\Restrict_Run User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Management Console\Restricted/Permitted snap-ins\Group Policy\Resultant Set of Policy snap-in extensions Software Installation (Computers) HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MMC\ {7E45546F-6D52-4D10-B702-9C2E67232E62}\Restrict_Run User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Microsoft Management Console\Restricted/Permitted snap-ins\Group Policy\Resultant Set of Policy snap-in extensions Software Installation (Users) HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\MMC\ {1BC972D6-555C-4FF7-BE2C-C584021A0A6A}\Restrict_Run User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Task Scheduler Hide Property Pages HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler5.0\Property Pages User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Prevent Task Run or End HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler5.0\Execution 413 Components\Task Scheduler User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Task Scheduler Prohibit Drag-and-Drop HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler5.0\DragAndDrop User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Task Scheduler Prohibit New Task Creation HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler5.0\Task Creation User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Task Scheduler Prohibit Task Deletion HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler5.0\Task Deletion User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Task Scheduler Remove Advanced Menu HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler5.0\Disable Advanced User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Task Scheduler Prohibit Browse HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Task Scheduler5.0\Allow Browse User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services Start a program on connection HKCU\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ fInheritInitialProgram User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Sessions Set time limit for disconnected sessions HKCU\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ MaxDisconnectionTime User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Sessions Set time limit for active sessions HKCU\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ MaxConnectionTime User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Sessions Set time limit for idle sessions HKCU\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\ MaxIdleTime REQUIRED User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Sessions Allow reconnection from original client only HKCU\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\ Terminal Services\fReconnectSame User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services\Sessions Terminate session when time limits are reached HKCU\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\fResetBroken User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Terminal Services Remote control settings HKCU\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\Terminal Services\Shadow User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Turn on Classic Shell HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\ClassicShell User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Removes the Folder Options menu item from the Tools menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoFolderOptions User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Remove File menu from Windows Explorer HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\NoFileMenu User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Remove Map Network Drive and Disconnect Network Drive HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoNetConnectDisconnect 414 User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Remove Search button from Windows Explorer HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoShellSearchButton User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Remove Windows Explorer's default context menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoViewContextMenu User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Hides the Manage item on the Windows Explorer context menu HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoManageMyComputerVerb User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Allow only per user or approved shell extensions HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\EnforceShellExtensionSecurity User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Do not track Shell shortcuts during roaming HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\LinkResolveIgnoreLinkInfo User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Hide these specified drives in My Computer HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoDrives User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Prevent access to drives from My Computer HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoViewOnDrive User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Remove Hardware tab HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoHardwareTab User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Remove DFS tab HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoDFSTab User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Remove Security tab HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoSecurityTab User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Remove UI to change menu animation setting HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoChangeAnimation User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Remove UI to change keyboard navigation indicator setting HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoChangeKeyboardNavigationIndicators User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer No Computers Near Me in My Network Places HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer\NoComputersNearMe User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer No Entire Network in My Network Places HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Network\NoEntireNetwork User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Maximum number of recent documents HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Network\MaxRecentDocs User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Do not request alternate credentials HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Network\NoRunasInstallPrompt User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Request credentials for network installations HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Network\PromptRunasInstallNetPath User Configuration\Administrative Remove CD Burning features HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Network\NoCDBurning 415 Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Do not move deleted files to the Recycle Bin HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Network\NoRecycleFiles User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Display confirmation dialog when deleting files HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Network\ConfirmFileDelete User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Maximum allowed Recycle Bin size HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Network\RecycleBinSize User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Remove Shared Documents from My Computer HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Network\NoSharedDocuments User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer Turn off caching of thumbnail pictures HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Network\NoThumbnailCache User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer\Common Open File Dialog Items displayed in Places Bar HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\comdlg32\Placesbar\Place4 User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer\Common Open File Dialog Hide the common dialog places bar HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ comdlg32\Placesbar\NoPlacesBar User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer\Common Open File Dialog Hide the common dialog back button HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\comdlg32\Placesbar\NoBackButton User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Explorer\Common Open File Dialog Hide the dropdown list of recent files HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ comdlg32\Placesbar\NoFileMru User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Always install with elevated privileges HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\AlwaysInstallElevated User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Search order HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\SearchOrder User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Prohibit rollback HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\DisableRollback User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Installer Prevent removable media source for any install HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Installer\DisableMedia User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Messenger Do not allow Windows Messenger to be run HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Messenger\Client\PreventRun User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Do not automatically start Windows Messenger initially HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Messenger\Client\PreventAutoRun 416 Messenger User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Update Remove access to use all Windows Update featues HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\ WindowsUpdate\DisableWindowsUpdateAccess Wmplayer.adm Table 19-6: Policies in Wmplayer.adm Location Name Key User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Media Player\User Interface Set and Lock Skin HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer\DefaultSkin User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Media Player\User Interface Do Not Show Anchor HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer\DoNotShowAnchor User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Media Player\Playback Prevent Codec Download HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer\PreventCodecDownload User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Media Player\Networking Hide Network Tab HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer\HideNetworkTab User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Media Player\Networking Streaming Media Protocols HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer\Protocols\HTTP User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Media Player\Networking Configure HTTP Proxy HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer\Protocols\ HTTP\BypassProxyLocalAddress User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Media Player\Networking Configure MMS Proxy HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer\Protocols\MMS\ BypassProxyLocalAddress User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Windows Media Player\Networking Configure Network Buffering HKCU\Software\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsMediaPlayer\NetworkBuffering 417 Chapter 1: Learning the Basics Figure 1-1: The registry is a hierarchical database that contains most of Windows settings. Figure 1-2: The registry enables local and remote administration. Figure 1-3: When fooling around with bits, a binary 1 is the same thing as yes or binary 0 is the same thing as no or false. In other words, they are Boolean values. Figure 1-4: If you're familiar with Windows Explorer, and I'll bet you are, you won't trouble understanding the registry's structure, which is similar to that of the file system. Figure 1-5: When one key is linked to another, as in this example, the same subkeys values appear in both places. Figure 1-6: Three of the registry's root keys are links to subkeys in HKU and HKLM. Figure 1-7: Each subkey in HKU contains an account's settings. Chapter 2: Using the Registry Editor Figure 2-1: Regedit is much easier to use when you maximize its window, which to see the full names of subkeys and each value's data in its entirety. Figure 2-2: Use fewer characters and partial matches to get more hits. Use more or require full matches to get fewer hits. Figure 2-3: Bookmark your most-used keys to return to them quickly. Figure 2-4: The format of Regedit's printer output is the same as the format that uses when exporting portions of the registry to a text file. Figure 2-5: Make sure you choose which file format you want to use, regardless extension you type in the File Name box. Figure 2-6: Type a name that describes what the hive file contains. Chapter 3: Backing up the Registry Figure 3-1: Backing up values in the registry is like having a built-in revision tracking feature. Figure 3-2: The key Backup Desktop Settings is a hive containing a backup copy HKCU\Control Panel\Desktop\ that I've loaded into the registry. Figure 3-3: TechSmith SnagIt is the best screen capture tool, and it works well with Windows XP. Figure 3-4: Before continuing, make sure you save your documents and close any that are running. System Restore restarts your computer. Figure 3-5: System Restore backs up all the hive files so it can restore them if necessary. Managing System Restore Figure 3-6: Normal backup tapes contain all the server's files; incremental backup contain only files that changed since the last normal or incremental backup. Figure 3-7: Backup Or Restore Wizard is the default user interface for Backup Utility. you'd rather use the classic user interface, click Advanced Mode on the first page. Figure 3-8: Restoring system state data to an alternate location is the best choice want to restore a limited number of files or settings. Chapter 4: Hacking the Registry Figure 4-1: You can find interesting object classes by searching for ShellFolder subkeys contain the value Attributes. Look for LocalizedString, too. 418 Figure 4-3: By editing the registry, you can reorganize the contents of Windows Figure 4-4: A file extension key's default value indicates the program class with associated. The program class's shell subkey contains commands you see on the menu. Figure 4-5: When I hold the mouse pointer over the Registry Book folder, I see Manuscripts for my latest registry book. Figure 4-6: Windows XP displays the programs you frequently use on the Start Chapter 5: Mapping Tweak UI Figure 5-1: Many of these settings are in the Performance Options dialog box. My Computer, click Properties, and in the Performance area of the Advanced tab Properties dialog box, click Settings. Figure 5-2: Use Tweak UI to find suitable values before trying to set mouse sensitivity values manually. Figure 5-3: Make network document folders easily accessible by adding them to bar. Figure 5-4: You don't need to download any search add-ins for Internet Explorer using your favorite search engines is this easy. Chapter 6: Using Registry-Based Policy Figure 6-1: The Extended and Standard view tabs are new for Windows XP. Click Extended tab to display help for the selected policy setting. Figure 6-2: Registry-based policies start with administrative templates, which define settings that are available and the location where they are stored in the registry. Figure 6-3: Each policy has three states, Enabled, Disabled, or Not Configured, policies collect additional information. Figure 6-4: Administrative templates, such as the one in this example, define the interface for collecting settings that the editor stores in the file Registry.pol. Figure 6-5: Use the PART keyword to collect additional data that further refines Figure 6-6: Notice the warning that says the setting will tattoo the registry. Figure 6-7: Help and Support Center's RSoP report contains the same type of information as Gpresult.exe, but it's more readable and more suitable for printing. Figure 6-8: The RSoP snap-in is the best tool for figuring out the source of policy when multiple GPOs apply to a computer. Chapter 7: Managing Registry Security Figure 7-1: This dialog box is almost identical to the dialog box for file system security. Figure 7-2: Special permissions give you finer control of a user or group's permissions use a key, but assigning special permissions is generally unnecessary. Figure 7-3: Audit keys sparingly because doing so can significantly impact performance. Figure 7-4: You build templates with security templates, and you analyze and apply templates using Security Configuration And Analysis. Figure 7-5: You can view and edit settings in this dialog box. Chapter 8: Finding Registry Settings Figure 8-1: RegView is an enhanced registry editor. 419 Figure 8-3: Word is effective at comparing large REG files, but much slower than Figure 8-4: Auditing the registry helps you track down settings in the registry. Figure 8-5: Regmon's window quickly fills up with uninteresting information. This Regmon's window seconds after starting it. Chapter 9: Scripting Registry Changes Figure 9-1: The parameter byte indicates to which of a number's bytes you want mask. Figure 9-2: The only two types of files that create REG files are Registration Files and Win9x/NT4 Registration Files (*.reg). Figure 9-3: You create a WSH file, which contains a script file's settings, by rightthe script, clicking Properties, and then clicking the Script tab. Chapter 10: Deploying User Profiles Figure 10-1: The subkeys of ProfileList contain a wealth of information about the profiles that Windows XP has created, including their paths on the file system. Figure 10-2: Windows XP loads Ntuser.dat into HKU\ SID and then links HKCU Figure 10-3: The user profile folders you see in this figure are the default folders installation of Windows XP. Figure 10-4: Typing a path in the Profile Path box is all it takes to enable roaming profiles. Figure 10-5: These policies give you management control of how Windows XP uses profiles. Figure 10-6: Copy the template user profile using this dialog box; don't copy the Windows Explorer because doing so copies artifacts that you don't want in the profile. Chapter 11: Mapping Windows Installer Figure 11-1: Windows Installer Clean Up is a friendly interface for Msizap. Chapter 12: Deploying with Answer Files Figure 12-1: In addition to creating this folder structure, you must set OEMPreinstall= your Windows XP answer file. Figure 12-2: Windows XP's Setup Manager is greatly improved over Windows 2000' version. Most of the changes are in its user interface, but encrypting the local administrator password is a new feature. Chapter 13: Cloning Disks with Sysprep Figure 13-1: Using disk imaging, you deploy the contents of a sample computer's to many other computers' hard disks. It's an effective way to deploy many desktops. Figure 13-2: Earlier versions of Sysprep had no user interface, so this look and new. Chapter 14: Microsoft Office XP User Settings Figure 14-1: Profile Wizard enables you to exclude settings for some Office XP 420 Figure 14-2: Custom Installation Wizard is the primary tool you use to customize Figure 14-3: Custom Installation Wizard clears the Migrate User Settings check include an OPS file in your MST file. Figure 14-4: Custom Installation Wizard's Change Office User Settings page is very to System Policy Editor with the Office XP policy templates (ADM files) loaded. Figure 14-5: You can also add programs to your installation by customizing the Office Setup.ini file. Chapter 15: Working Around IT Problems Figure 15-1: Prevent Windows XP from creating Outlook Express shortcuts by hiding StubPath. Figure 15-2: Removing the value StubPath from the subkey {2C7339CF-2B09-4501-B3F3-F3508C9228ED} prevents Windows XP from configuring the new user interface. Figure 15-3: Search the %SYSTEMROOT%\Inf folder for all files with the .inf extension contain the name of the component you want to remove. Figure 15-4: Without a Files And Settings Transfer Wizard shortcut on the Start menu, will not usually try to run the wizard. Those who do will see an error message. Figure 15-5: Scheduled Tasks is a useful way to run programs on remote comp
